UMASS/AMHERST 


312DL.LQ0522T5fl5 


May  5,  1888.    Published  Weekly.    Annual  Subscription,  $1.50. 

Entered  at  the  Post  Office,   New  York,  as   Second  Class  Matter. 

Copyright,  1887,  toy  F.  M.  Lupton. 


THE  STANDARD  AMERICAN 


W.   S.   TRIGG,  Publisher, 

146  Duane  St.,  New  York. 


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LIBRARY 


OF  THE 


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AGRICULTURAL 

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THE    STANDARD 


AMERICAN 


POULTRY 


A   GUIDE   TO 


PROFITABLE  POULTRY  KEEPING 


New  York: 
W.   S.   TRIGG,  Publisher, 

146  Duane  St.,  JVew  York. 

1886. 


COPYRIGHT  BY 

&.    M.    LUPTON. 


The  Standard  American  Poultry  Book. 


A  Poultry  House  for  Chickens—The  poultry  house  we  have  illustrated 
is  designed  for  young  chicks.  It  can  be  attached  to  a  coop,  and  is  made  of 
laths.    It  is  the  length  of  a  lath,  and  half  a  lath  in  height. 

Such  an  arrangement  allows  the  mother  some  room  to  move  about,  and 
enables  the  young  chicks  to  reach  air  and  sun.  Almost  any  bright  boy  can 
nail  tbe  laths  together,  and  it  will  materially  increase  the  chickens'  chances 
of  life.  Remember  that  the  first  few  days  are  the  most  critical  and  require 
extra  attention. 

More  fouls  are  destroyed  in  infancy,  like  humans,  by  injudicious  feeding 
than  at  any  other  time.  The  first  four  weeks'  management  of  the  young 
chicks  is  everything,  for  no  after  cares  can  compensate  for  neglect  during 

the  critical  period.  F>>r 
the  first  twenty-four  hours 
no  food  should  be  given 
the  chicks  of  any  kind.  At 
first  there  may  be  given 
hard-boiled  egg,  chopped 
fine.  This  need  only  be 
given  for  two  or  three  days 
when  the  food  should  be 
changed  to  one  consisting 
A  poultry  house  for  chicks.  of  oatmeal  cooked  in  milk, 

to  which  an  egg  has  been 
added.  The  second  week  the  milk  and  oatmeal  gruel,  stiffly  made,  should 
be  continued,  and  good  wheat  screenings  allowed  also.  After  the  second 
week  the  food  may  be  varied  so  as  to  consist  of  anything  they  will  eat,  but 
do  not  confine  them  to  a  single  article  of  diet,  as  disease  of  the  bowels  may 
occur.  Green  grass,  ccoked  vegetables  and  milk  may  be  given  frely.  The 
chicks  should  not  be  allowed  to  roam  outside  with  the  hen,  if  possible,  until 
Jhe  sun  is  well  up,  as  dampness  is  more  injurious  to  them  than  cold.  "When 
very  young  feed  every  two  hours,  as  feathers,  bone  and  meat  are  forming 
fast,  requiring  plenty  of  nourishment.  When  cleanliness  is  observed  but 
few  diseases  appear.  Never  let  a  surplus  of  food  remain  after  the  feeding 
is  over,  but  see  that  they  are  sufficiently  supplied  before  taking  the  excess 
away.  Young  chicks  are  not  troublesoire  +o  raise  if  a  little  pastern  and 
care  are  practiced.  r 

A  Model  Hennery. — The  breeding  of  n©^and  choice  varieties  of  poultry 
has  grown  to  be  quite  an  extensive  industry  in  this  country  during  the  past 
few  years,  and  it  is  not  entirely  confined  to  those  who  make  it  a  business, 
either,  as  many  of  our  farmers  have  learned,  at  last,  that  it  pays  to  devote 
more  time  and  attention  to  the  raising  and  care  of  poultry  than  they  formerly 
were  willing  to  give  to  it.  The  model  hennery  herewith  illustrated  and  de- 
scribed contains  all  the  essential  requisites  for  convenience,  oleanliness,  the 


4 


TEE   POULTRY    YARD, 


health  of  the  fowls,  and  the  separation  of  the  different  varieties,  together 
with  all  the  modern  improvements,  from  which  many  good  hints  may  be  oh. 
tained,  if  not  wishing  to  adopt  the  plan  just  as  it  stands. 

This  building  is  nearly  75  feet  long,  13  feet  high,  and  12  feet  wide.    It  is 
built  of  wood,  the  roof  shingled.    To  the  highest  pitch  of  the  roof  it  is  13 


■rJX^TV.'.fyy.mt  XTtmxrrzvrTtt* '  ■ 


foei  The  elevation  or  height  from  the  ground  or  foundation  in  front  is  4 
feet,  which  cuts  a  twelve-foot  board  into  three  pieces;  the  length  or  pitch  of 
tlfe  roof  m  front  is  12  feet— just  the  length  of  a  board,  saving  a  few  inches  of 
a  ragged  end;  the  pitch  of  the  rear  roof  isf<5  feet,  and  the  height  of  the  build- 
ing from  the  ground  to  the  base  of  the  roof  is  just  6  feet,  which  cuts  a  twelve- 
foot  board  into  two  pieces.  The  ground  plan  and  frame  work  are  planned 
on  the  same  principles  of  economy  of  timber.    By  this  plan  no  timber  is 


THE   FARM. 


I 


wasted,  as  it  all  cuts  out  clean;  there  is  also  a  great  saving  of  labor.  The 
foundation  of  the  building  rests  on  cedar  posts  set  four  feet  into  the  ground. 

This  house  contains  eight  pens,  each  one  of  which  will  accommodate  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  fowls;  each  pen  is  nine  feet  long  and  eight  feet  wide. 
All  the  pens  are  divided  off  by  wire  partitions  of  one  inch  mesh.  Each  pen 
has  a  glass  window  on  the  southern  front  of  the  house,  extending  from  the 
gutter  to  -within  one  foot  of  the  apex  of  the  roof,  fixed  in  permanently  with 
French  glass  lapping  over  each  other,  after  the  fashion  of  hot-bed  sashes; 
they  are  about  eleven  by  three  feet.  Each  pen  is  entered  by  a  wire  door  six 
feet  high,  from  the  hallway,  which  is  three  feet  wide;  and  these  doors  are 
carefully  fastened  with  a  brass  padlock. 

The  house  is  put  together  with  matched  boards,  and  the  grooves  of  the 
boards  are  filled  in  with  white  lead  and  then  driven  together,  so  as  to  make 
the  joints  impervious  to  cold  or  wet.    On  the  rear  side  of  the  house  there  are 


A  MODEL  HENNERY.— END  VIEW  OP  INTERIOR. 

lbtir  scuttles  or  ventilators,  two  by  two  feet,  placed  equidistant  from  each 
other,  and  to  these  are  attached  iron  rods  which  fit  into  a  slide  with  a  screw, 
so  that  they  can  be  raised  to  any  height.  These  are  raised,  according  to  the 
weather,  every  morning,  to  let  off  the  foul  air.  Each  pen  has  a  ventilator 
besides  the  trap  door  at  the  bottom,  same  size,  which  communicates  with  the 
pens  and  runs.  These  lower  ventilators  are  used  only  in  very  hot  weather, 
to  allow  a  free  circulation  through  the  building,  and  in  summer  each  pen  is 
shaded  from  the  extreme  rays  of  the  sun  by  thick  shades  fastened  upon  the 
inside,  so  that  the  inside  of  the  house  is  cooler  than  the  outside. 

The  dropping  boards  extend  tha  whole  width  of  the  pen,  and  are  about 
two  feet  wide  and  sixteen  inches  from  the  floor;  the  roosts  are  about  seven 
inches  above  and  over  this  board.  They  are  three  inches  wide  and  crescent- 
shaped  on  top,  so  that  the  fowls  can  rest  a  considerable  portion  of  their 
bodies  on  the  perches.  Under  these  dropping  boards  are  the  nest  boxes, 
where  the  fowls  lay,  and  are  shaded  and  secluded. -The  feeding  and  drink* 


TBE    POULTRY    YARD, 


ing  troughs  are  made  of  galvanized  iron,  and  hung  with  hooks  on  eyes,  so 
that  they  can  be  easily  removed  when  they  require  cleaning,, 

One  can  stand  at  one  end  of  this  long  house  and  see  all  the  chickens  o» 
their  roosts.  By 
seeing  each  other  in 
this  way  the  fowls 
are  made  compan- 
ionable and  are 
saved  many  a  fero- 
cious fight;  at  the 
same  time  each  kind 
is  kept  separate 
from  the  other.  Each 
pen  has  a  run  33  by 
12  and  15  feet;  these 
runs  are  separated 
by  wire  fences  12 
feet  high,  with 
meshe3  of  2  inches. 

The  house  is  sur- 
rounded  with  a 
drain  which  carries 
off  all  the  moisture 
and  water,  and  pre- 
vents dampness.  In- 
side the  house  is 
cemented  all 
through,  and  these 
cemented  floors  are 
covered  with  gravel 
two  inches  deep. 
The  house  is  heated 
in  the  cold  weather 
jjust  enough  to  keep 
water  from  freezing,, 
The  plan  of  this  hen- 
nery is  remarkable 
for  its  simplicity  and 
hygienic  arrange- 
ment. The  cost  of 
the  labor  and  ma- 
terial is  under  $50Q„ 

Movable  Poul- 
try House. — Those 
who  have  tried  mov- 
able poultry  houses 
regard  them  as  ex- 
ceedingly profitable  arrangements,  and  very  desirable  We  give  an  illustra- 
tion of  one  in  use  in  England,  which  is  mounted  o\  wheels,  with  a  floor 
raised  high  enough  above  ground  to  form  a  dry  run.  It  has  a  set  of  mova- 
ble laying  nests  at  back,  outside  flap-door  with  loc\  iarge  door  with  lock, 
for  attendant,  smshSJ  eliding  door  ami  ladder  for  fowl^  Uo  shifting  perches. 


TBJS  FARM. 


and  sliding  window.  The  benefit  birds  of  all  description  derive  from  change 
of  place,  not  only  arises  from  the  pleasure  every  animal  as  well  as  man  de- 
rives from  changes  of  scene,  but  by  being  preserved  from  the  exhalations 
emitted  by  excrenientitious  matter  and  decaying  food. 

Model  Poultry  House. — We  give  a  plan  of  poultry  house  and  yards, 

combining  many  good 
points  and  conveniences. 
The  building  is  enclosed 
with  worked  spruce  or 
pine  boards,  put  on  ver- 
tically, and  the  height  so 
arranged  that  each  board 
will  cut  to  avoid  waste. 
All  the  pieces  are  cut  off 
of  the  full  lengths  in 
front,  making  just  half  a 
rear  length.  The  rafters 
of  thirteen  feet  joist,  with  either  battened  or  shingle  roof  as  preferred.  The 
building  is  supposed  to  face  the  south.  The  entrance  door,  E,  opening  into 
the  passage,  P,  three  and  a  half  feet  wide,  which  runs  the  length  of  the  build- 
ing; smaller  doors,  D,  each  two  feet  wide,  opening  into  the  roosting  room,  R. 
The  nests  are  raised  about  a  foot  from  the  floor,  and  also  open  into  the  room 
It,  with  a  hinged  board  in  the  passage,  so  that  the  eggs  can  be  removed  with-, 
out  entering  the  roosting  rooms.  The  perches,  A,  are  movable,  perfectly 
level,  and  raised  two  feet  


ELEVATION.— LENGTH,  24  FEET;  WIDTH,  11  FEET; 
HEIGHT,  IN  FEONT,  9  1-2  FEETJ  HEIGHT,  IN  REAR, 
6  1-2  FEET. 


a'vi'i  i  \y 


-rrt  ' 


1 


"■  jssjfiff 


i  umy 


3y* 


i 


from  the  floor.  The  parti- 
tion walls  are  tight,  two 
boards  high,  above  which  is 
lath;  the  passage  wall  above 
the  nest,  and  also  the  doors, 
D,  being  of  lath  also. 

The  roosting-rooms  are 
seven  and  a  half  by  eight 
feet,  large  enough  for 
twenty- five  fowls  each.  Win- 
dows are  six  feet  square, 
raised  one  foot  from  the 
floor.  We  prefer  the  glass 
to  be  six  by  eight  or  seven 
by  nine  inches — as  these 
small  sizes  need  no  protec- 
tion strips  to  prevent  the 
fowls  from  breaking  them. 
The  holes,  H,  for  egress  and 

ingress  of  the  fowls,  are  closed  by  a  drop  door  worked  by  a  cord  and  pultflV 
from  the  passage  way.  Another  door  can  be  placed  in  the  other  end  of  tlw 
passage  way  if  desirable.  This  arrangement  of  the  yards,  Y,  of  course  would 
not  suit  every  one;  some  vrould  prefer  smaller  yards,  making  each  yard  the 
width  of  the  room  and  adding  to  its  height.  The  house  above  is  designed 
for  only  three  varieties;  but  by  simply  adding  to  the  length,  any  number  of 
breeds  may  be  accommoda'  ed.  The  simplest  and  most  economical  founda- 
^on  is  to  set  locust  ot  oaV  j^sts  about  four  feet  deep,  every  eighi&et,  and 


PI^N  AND  YARD. 


5  TEE   POXTLTMY    YARD. 

spike  the  sills  on  them.  There  is  then  no  hearing  from  frost;  and  all  the 
underpinning  necessary  is  a  board  nailed  tc  the  sill  and  extending  into  the 
ground  a  couple  of  inches.  A  setting  room  can  be  added  by  making  the 
building  four  feet  longer.  The  room  should  be  in  the  end  next  the  door,  so 
as  to  be  always  within  notice. 

Such  a  hous  lilt  of  seasoned  lumber  and  well  battened,  will  shelter  any 
fowls  —  exceptL  0 ;  perhaps, 
the  Spanish,  Leghorns,  and 
a  few  of  the  more  tender  va- 
rieties— from  all  ordinarily 
cold  weather;  and  we  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  cheapest 
and  most  convenient  house 
for  general  use. 

Chicken  and  Duck  In- 

clos«re._We  present  here- 
with a  plan  for  chicken  or 
duck  coops,  with  inclosures, 
■which  will  be  found  very 
convenient  fixtures  in  any 
poultry-yard.  These  coops 
are  made  so  that  they  are 
movable,  and  can  be  con- 
structed by  almost  any  one 
conversant  with  the  use  of  a 
hammer  and  nails.  Any  re- 
fuse boards  and  odd  pieces 
are  all  that  are  necessary  to 
build  them.  The  coops  can 
be  set  in  any  dssired  posi- 
tion, then  fenced  in  with 
boards  twelve  to  sixteen 
inches  wide,  as  shown  in  our 
engraving, with  stakes  driven 
in  the  ground  on  each  side 
of  the  boards  at  intervals,  to 
keep  them  from  falling  over. 
Put  up  in  this  manner  the 
stakes  can  be  withdrawn  at 
will  and  the  inclosure  moved 
as  often  as  desirable.  For 
partitions  our  engraving  has 
shown  a  light  wire  mesh, 
which  is  easy  to  handle  and 
can  be  procured  at  a  very  small  cost.  This  is  fastened  into  position  by  pin- 
ning down  with  wooden  pins,  which,  in  this  way,  is  made  also  movable. 

Caponizing— Caponizing  is  not  a  very  difficult  operation,  and  any  one 
who  is  blessed  with  the  average  amount  of  brains  and  common  sense  can 
soon  learn  to  caponize  as  quickly  and  as  successfully  as  an  "  expert."  We 
know  that  some  one  will  probably  tell  you  that  the  instruments  used  are 
"  very  delicate,"  and  the  operation  can  only  be  safely  performed  by  an  ex- 


THE   FARM.  I 

pert;  but  don't  believe  it.  We  once  -wrote  out  the  directions  for  caponizing, 
and  sent  them  to  a  lady  who  was  anxious  to  know  how  to  perform  the  opera- 
tion. With  the  written  directions  before  herrshe  first  operated  on  some 
half-dozen  of  cockerels  that  had  been  killed  for  table  use,  and  then  tried  her 
hand  on  the  living  birds,  with  excellent  success.  In  three  days,  besides 
doing  her  usual  housework,  she  caponized  162  cockerels,  and  only  three  of 
them  died  from  the  effects  of  the  operation. 

If  you  live  near  any  one  who  understands  caponizing,  and  is  willing  tft 
teach  others,  go  and  learn  how,  but  if  you  cannot  do  that,  go  and  get  a  set 
of  instruments  and  teach  yourself.  A  set  of  caponizing  instruments  consists 
of  a  pointed  hook,  a  steel  splint  with  a  broad,  flat  hook  at  each  end,  a  pair 
of  tweezers,  and  a  pair  of  crooked  concave  forceps.  In  the  first  place,  kill  a 
young  cockerel  and  examine  it  carefully,  so  that  you  will  be  able  to  tell  the 
exact  position  of  the  organs  to  be  removed.  You  will  find  them  within  the 
cavity  of  the  abdomen,  attached  to  the  back,  one  on  each  side  of  the  spine. 
They  are  light  colored,  and  the  size  varies  with  the  age  and  breed. 

After  you  have  "located"  the  parts  to  be  removed,  practice  the  opera- 
tion on  chickens  that  have  been  killed,  until  you  are  sure  that  you  can  oper- 
ate quickly  and  safely;  then  you  may  try  your  hand  on  the  living  birds. 
Place  the  bird  on  its  left  side  in  a  rack  that  will  hold  it  firmly  in  position 
without  injuring  it,  or  else  draw  the  wings  back  and  fasten  them  with  a  broad 
strip  of  cloth;  draw  the  legs  back  and  tie  them  with  another  strip;  then  let 
the  attendant  hold  the  fowl  firmly  on  the  table,  one  hand  on  the  wings  andj 
liead,  the  other  on  the  legs,  while  you  perform  the  operation.  Remove  the 
feathers  from  a  spot  a  little  larger  than  a  silver  dollar,  at  the  point  near  the  i 
hip,  upon  the  line  between  the  thigh  and  shoulder.  Draw  the  skin  back- 
ward, hold  it  firm  while  you  make  a  clean  cut  an  inch  and  a  half  long  be- 
tween the  last  two  ribs,  and  lastly  through  the  thin  membrane  that  lines  the 
abdominal  cavity.  In  making  the  last  cut,  take  care  and  not  injure  the  in- 
testines. Now  take  the  splint  and  separate  the  ribs  by  attaching  one  of  the 
looks  to  each  rib,  and  then  allowing  the  splint  to  spread;  push  the  intestines 
away  with  a  teaspoon  handle,  find  the  testicles;  take  hold  of  the  membrane 
that  covers  them  and  hold  it  with  the  tweezers;  tear  it  open  with  the  hook; 
grasp  the  spermatic  cord  with  the  tweezers,  and  then  twist  off  the  testicle 
with  the  forceps.  Eemove  the  other  in  the  same  way.  The  left  testicle  is 
usually  a  little  farther  back  than  that  on  the  right,  and  should  be  removed 
first.  During  the  operation  take  care  not  to  injure  the  intestines,  or  rupture 
the  large  blood  vessels  attached  to  the  organs  removed.  The  operation 
completed,  take  out  the  splint,  allow  the  skin  to  resume  its  place,  stick  on 
some  of  the  feathers  that  were  removed,  which  will  absorb  the  blood  and 
cover  the  wound;  give  plenty  of  drink,  but  feed  sparingly  on  soft  cooked 
food  for  a  few  days,  or  until  they  begin  to  move  around  pretty  lively. 

To  prepare  cockerels  for  caponizing,  shut  them  up  without  food  or  drink 
for  twenty-four  hours  previous  to  the  operation,  for  if  the  intestines  are  fall 
the  operation  will  be  more  difficult  and  dangerous.  Cockerels  that  are  in- 
tended for  capons  should  be  operated  upon  between  three  and  four  months 
of  age.  Cockerels  of  any  breed  may  be  caponized,  but  of  course  the  larger 
breeds  are  the  best.  A  cross  between  the  Light  Brahmas  and  Partridge 
Cochins  will  produce  extra  large  cockerels  for  capons,  but  only  the  first 
cross  is  desirable.  Capons  grow  fully  one-third  larger  than  the  ordinary 
male  fowl  of  the  same  age  and  breed.  Their  flesh  is  more  delicate  and  juicy, 
and  they  command  prices,  from  thirty  to  fifty  per  cent,  higher  than  common 
.poultry,  but  outside  the  largest  cities  there  is  no  market  for  them,    ^ 


FIG.  1. — INSIDE  OF  INCUBATOR.  FRONT 
SECTION— -T,  TANK;  L  C,  LAMP  CLOS- 
ET, B  B,  BRACKETS. 


m  TEE   POTTZTRT    YARD. 

Good  and  Cheap  Incubators— For  the  benefit  of  those  who  desire  to 
experience  some  of  the  pleasures  and  profits  of  artificial  incubation,  we  here 
give  a  model  of  a  very  simple  and  reliable  incubator,  with  directions  for 
making  the  same. 

Have  a  pine  case  made  somewhat  like  a  common  washstand  (see  Fig.  2) 
without  the  inside  divisions. 

About  a  foot  from  the  floor  of  this 
case,  place  brackets  like  those  in  Fig. 
1,  and  on  a  level  with  these  screw  a 
strong  cleat  across  the  back  of  the 
case  inside.  These  are  to  support  the 
tank. 

The  tank  should  be  made  of  gal- 
vanized iron,  three  inches  deep  and 
otherwise  proportioned  to  fit  exactly 
within  the  case  and  rest  upon  the 
brackets  and  cleat.  The  tank  should 
have  a  top  or  cover  soldered  on  when 
it  is  made.  At  the  top  of  this  tank  in 
the  center  should  be  a  hole  an  inch  in 
diameter  with  a  rim  two  inches  high,  and  at  the  bottom,  toward  one  end,  a 
faucet  for  drawing  off  the  water.  When  the  tank  is  set  in  the  case  fill  up  all 
the  chinks  and  cracks  between  the  edges  of  the  tank  and  the  case  with  plas- 
ter Paris  to  keep  all  fumes  of  the  lamp  from  the  eggs. 

Fill  the  tank  at  least  two  inches  deep  with  boiling  water. 
To  find  when  the  right  depth  is  required,  gauge  the  water  with  a  small 
stick.    Over  the  top  of  the  tank  spread  fine  gravel  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick; 

over  this  lay  a  coarse  cot- 
ton cloth.  Place  the  egg3 
on  the  cloth,  and  set  a  kero- 
sene safety-lamp  under  the 
center  of  the  tank. 

The  door  of  the  lamp- 
closet  must  have  four  holes 
for  ventilation,  otherwise 
the  lamp  will  not  burn. 
The  lamp-closet  is  the 
space  within  the  incubator 
under  the  tank.  Turn  the 
eggs  carefully  every  morn- 
ing and  evening,  and  after 
turning  sprinkle  them  with 
quite  warm  water.  Two 
thermometers  should  be 
kept  in  the  incubator,  one 
half  way  between  the  center  and  each  end;  the  average  heat  should  be  105 
degrees. 

If  the  eggs  do  not  warm  up  well,  lay  a  piece  of  coarse  carpet  over  them. 
If  they  are  too  warm,  take  out  the  lamp  and  open  the  cover  for  a  few  min~ 
utes,  but  do  not  let  the  eggs  get  chilled.  If  they  should  happen  to  get  down 
to  98  degrees,  and  up  to  a  108  degrees,  you  need  not  think  the  eggs  are 
spoiled.  They  will  stand  such  a  variation  once  in  a  while;  but  of  course  a 
uniform  temperature  of  105  degrees  will  secure  more  chickens,  and  they  wil] 


FIG.   2.— INCUBATOR  CLOSED. 


TBS  FASM. 


n 


be  stronger  and  more  lively.    In  just  such  an  incubator  ae  the  one  dec 

scribed,  the  writer  hatched  over  two  hundred  chickens  two  years  ago. 

For  those  who  are  ambitious  to  try  top  heat,  the  same  sort  of  a  tank  ia 

required,  but  a  boiler  must 
be  attached  at  the  side  with 
an  upper  and  lower  pipe  for 
circulation.  Any  plumber 
can  attach  the  boiler,  and 
the  faucet  must  be  at  the 
bottom  of  the  boiler  on  one 
side. 

The  drawers  containing 
the  eggs  should  slide  be- 
neath the  tank.  A  stand 
for  the  lamp  should  be 
screwed  to  one  end  of  the 

case  in  such  a  position  as  to  bring  the  lamp  under  the  boiler  (see  illustration 

above).    This  incubator  can  be  cooled  by  raising  the  lid,  turning  down  the 

lamp  and  pulling  the  drawers  part  way  out. 

In  both  incubators  while  the  eggs  are  hatching  sprinkle  them  two  or  three 

limes  with  quite  warm  water.    After  the  chicks  are  hatched  they  need  a 

-warm  cover,  a  good  run,  plenty 

of  clean  gravel,  fresh  water,  fine 

cracked  corn,   and    green   food 

every  day. 


FIG.  3.— TOP  HEAT  INCUBATOR,  ON  TABLE. 


FIG.  4. — FORM  OF  TANK. 


How  to  Raise  Artificially- 
Hatched  Chickens— The  fol- 
lowing article  is  from  the  pen  of  a  gentleman  who  has  given  the  matter  of 
the  artificial  hatching  of  chickens  much  careful  study,  and  he  tells  how  to 
successfully  raise  the  young  chicks  after  being  so  hatched: 

"  It  is  evident  to  the  most  casual  observer  that  chickens  hatched  without 
a  mother  must  be  raised  without  a  mother.  Born  orphans,  they  must  re- 
main orphans.  When  my  incubator  produced  the  first  chick,  what  a  com- 
motion there  was  in  the  house. 
The  birth  of  a  baby  wouldn't 
have  been  a  circumstance  to 
it;  and  while  the  women-folks 
would  have  known  what  to  do 
with  a  new  baby,  we  all 
looked  at  one  another  with 
blank  bewilderment  when  the 
question  was  asked  what  we 
should  do  with  the  new  chick. 
The  thermometer  outside  was 
down  nearly  to  the  freezing 
point,  while  in  the  incubator 
the  temperature  was  105  degrees.  The  little  chick's  hair  stood  on  end,  and 
he  was  panting  for  dear  life.  He  must  come  out  of  there,  and  as  his  brothers 
and  sisters  were  following  him  out  of  the  shells,  we  began  to  prepare  all 
sorts  of  receptacles  for  them.  We  rigged  up  a  mother  on  the  heater,  and 
put  in  it  several  chicks  that  lived  a  few  hours  and  then  died.  We  de- 
cided it  was  too  cold,  so  we  put  others  in  a  bos  and  put  them  back  in  the 


fig.  1. 


n 


TEE  POULTRY   TAltP, 


FIG.  2. 


incubator,  where  some  of  them  were  smothered  with  tfie  heat.  It  was 
evident  something  must  be  done,  or  we  would  soon  have  no  chicks  to 
experiment  with.  I  determined  in  my  own  mind  that  a  temperature  of  about 
ninety  degrees  would  be  correct,  so  1  rigged  up  the  brooder  and  started  the 
lamp,  put  in  the  thermometer,  and  when  the  proper  degree  of  heat  was 
reached,  put  what  was  left  of  the  chicks  into  the  brooder,  and  they  began  to 
brighten  up.  The  problem  was  solved,  though  its  solution  cost  me  the  lives 
of  many  fine  chicks. 

"With  further  experience,  I  find  the  following  treatment  a  complete  suc- 
cess: After  the  chick  breaks  the  shell,  let  him  scramble  around  and  dry 
himself  in  the  incubator,  which 
will  generally  take  a  few  hours, 
i  hough  some  are  much  strong- 
er than  others.  After  too  much 
exercise  they  begin  to  pant,  and 
should,  of  course,  be  removed. 
I  have  a  box  twelve  inches 
square  and  six  inches  high.  To 
the  lid  of  this  tack  strips  of 
woolen  cloth  an  inch  wide  and 
two  inches  apart.  These  rags 
should  hang  within  two  inches 

of  the  bottom.  Put  a  half  inch  of  dry  sand  in  the  box.  The  brooder  is  kept 
at  a  temperature  between  eighty  and  ninety  degrees.  The  young  chicks, 
when  perfectly  dry,  are  taken  from  the  oven  and  put  in  the  box,  and  the  box 
put  in  the  brooder  where  the  other  chicks  are.  Air  holes  should  be  cut  in 
the  lid  of  the  box,  for  if  cut  in  the  side  the  other  chicks  peck  out  the  feathers 
of  the  little  ones  through  these  holes.  This  box  keeps  the  chicks  warm,  and 
they  soon  brighten  up,  and  at  the  end  of  twelve  hours  are  ready  to  take  the 
first  lesson  in  eating.  Take  a  hard  boiled  egg  and  chop  the  white  and  yelk 
up  together  as  fine  as  grains  of  wheat;  with  it  cover  the  bottom  of  a  little  pan 
— the  top  of  a  blacking  box  will  do.    Place  this  in  the  box  with  the  chicks, 

and,  while  tapping  with  the 
finger  in  the  feed,  repeat 
*  tuck,  tuck,'  like  the  clucking 
of  a  hen  (Fig.  1).  A  little 
patience,  and  one  chick  will 
see  something  and  peck  at  it, 
when  the  others  will  follow 
suit,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
first  lesson  is  learned.  After 
a  few  meals,  with  this  process 
repeated,  it  will  be  only  nec- 
essary to  rap  on  the  box,  and  the  little  fellows  will  be  ready  for  their  meal, 
and  also  be  spry  enough  to  be  put  out  of  the  box  and  run  with  the  others  in 
the  brooder. 

"  The  next  lot  of  chicks  I  feed  as  follows:  Stale  wheat  bread  is  soaked  in 
water.  A  cupful  of  oatmeal  or  rice  has  boiling  water  poured  over  it,  and  is 
stirred  until  it  takes  up  all  the  water.  I  mix  two  handfuls  of  soaked  bread, 
with  the  water  squeezed  out,  with  one  handful  of  this  oatmeal,  and  dry  it  all 
with  unbolted  cornmeal  until  it  crumbles  freely.  A  little  salt  is  mixed  up 
with  it.  This,  with  a  little  meat  once  a  day,  is  their  sole  feed,  and  it  is  given 
about  every  three  hours  until  the  chicks  are  a  week  old*  or  until  the  wings 


fig.  3. 


TEE   FABM. 


are  large  enough  to  cover  their  backs,  when  they  are  put  in  a  pen.  This  lot 
is  fed  the  above  mixture  five  or  six  times,  with  meat  or  worms  once  a  day. 
and  a  head  of  cabbage  is  hung  in  the  pen  for  them  to  peck  at.  The  bottom 
of  this  pen  is  covered  with  dry  sand  and  ashes,  with  a  pile  of  old  mortar  and 
broken  oyster  shells  to  be  picked  over. 

"  For  a  water  fountain  I  use  a  small  tin  pan,  covering  with  a  stone  all  the 
top  except  just  enough  to  allow  the  chicks  to  drink,  as  shown  at  Fig.  2.  Turn 
the  open  part  next  to  the  wall,  so  the  little  things  cannot  scratch  dirt  into  it 
Chicks  are  very  fond  of  scratching  the  feed  out  of  the  pan.  To  prevent  this 
I  take  a  sheet  of  tin  (Fig.  3),  bend  it  over,  and  put  the  feed  under  the  bent 
part.  This  prevents  their  treading  on  or  scratching  out  the  feed,  and  caters 
to  their  natural  taste  for  hunting  under  things  for  food.  It  is  also  cleaned 
more  readily  than  a  pan. 

"The  body  of  the  brooder  (Fig.  4)  is  made  of  zinc,  with  an  air-chamber 

over  and  under  the  back 
end.  The  lamp  setting  under 
it  sends  the  heat  up  through 
the  heater  and  out  through 
ihe  top,  where  a  nursery  for 
young  or  sick  chicks  is 
placed  to  utilize  the  waste 
neat.  This  form  of  brooder, 
with  a  warm  chamber  and 
the  chicks  feeding  in  the 
open  air,  I  believe  to  be  bet- 
ter than  those  where  the 
chicks  are  never  subjected 
to  a  cool  atmosphere.  The 
short  stay  while  they  feed  in 
the  open  air  tends  to  harden 
and  invigorate  them.  All 
brooders,  boxes,  or  pens, 
nsed  to  keep  large  numbers 
of  chicks  in,  should  have  the 
bottom  lined  with  zinc,  as 
wood  or  earth  is  sure  in  time 
to  become  saturated  with 
excrement,  no  matter  how 
clean  you  try  to  keep  it,  and 
it  is  the  ammonia  arising  from  these  tainted  floors  that  causes  such  pens 
in  time  to  prove  fatal  to  the  chicks.  I  promised  to  tell  the  truth 
about  my  experience  in  hatching  the  eggs,  and  here  it  is:  The 
last  eggs  that  hatched  out  were  bought  October  10th.  Up  to  that  time  I 
had  purchased  one  hundred  and  five  eggs  at  thirty  cents  a  dozen, 
About  one-third  of  these  proved  unfertile,  and  were  cooked  and  eaten,  or 
hard-boiled  and  fed  to  the  young  chicks,  leaving  about  seventy-five  eggs  for 
the  incubator  to  work  on.  Out  of  these  I  now  have  twenty-seven  as  fine 
chicks  as  I  ever  saw.  By  nay  own  awkwardness  and  want  of  experience,  I 
have  killed  or  lost  fully  one  dozen.  My  machine  was  an  old  one,  and  the 
battery  was  worn  out.  The  gauge  never  was  worth  a  cent.  All  the  defect- 
ive parts  have  been  renewed  except  the  gauge,  and  I  have  learned  to  doctor 
that.  Owing  to  the  above  faults,  the  temperature  in  the  oven  has  run  too 
low  for  daya  at  a  time,  and  for  hours  it  has  been  at  82  degrees,  while  it  hag 


BROOBER.—FIO,  4. 


54  THE   POULTRY    YARD* 

taken  short  trips  as  high  as  110  degrees.    The  only  wonder  ia  that  I  got  a 
chicken  out  of  any  of  the  eggs.    It  is  astonishing  how  much  an  egg  will  stand.' 

"From  my  experience 
with  hens  I  am  satisfied  I 
will  he  able  to  get  more 
chicks  from  a  given  num- 
ber of  eggs  with  the  incu- 
bator than  I  ever  could  with 
hens.  It  would  be  a  poor 
hand  who  could  not  raise 
from  a  fourth  to  a  third 
more  chicks  with  brooders 
than  with  the  best  hens." 

Packing      Eggs      for 

Marlcet.~We  present  here- 
with three  different  styles 

or  methods  of  packing  eggs 

•for  shipment  or  for  storage, 

any  one  of  which  will  be 

found  simple,  inexpensive 

and  practical. 

Our  illustration,  Fig.  1, 

j-epresents    a     substantial 

carrying    case,    with    nine 

drawers,     the    frames    of 

which  are  of  wood  covered 

with    canvas    or    sacking, 

with  cords  or  strings  underneath,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the  eggs  in 

their  places.    The  sacks,   at   the   top  and  bottom,  have  depressions,   as 

shown  in  the  cover  of  the  engraving,  so  that  the  eggs  fit  snugly  and  are  not 

liable  to  be  displaced 
by  handling  or  trans- 
porting. Each  alternating 
layer,  coming  between  these 
depressions  in  each  box  or 
drawer,  fills  up  the  inter- 
s  t  i  c  e  s  perfectly.  With 
proper  care  these  cases  will 
last  for  years,  are  always 
ready  for  packing  and  can, 
be  filled  as  the  eggs  are  laid, 
thus  avoiding  repeated 
handling.  The  eggs  can 
also  be  kept  in  them  per- 
fectly secure  when  the 
owner  desires  to  hold  his 
stock  for  better  market. 
There  are  nine  layers  or 
drawers  of  eggs  in  this  box, 

each  layer  containing  eight  dozen,  or  a  total  of  seventy-two  dozen  of  eggs. 

Fig.  2.  shows  a  cheaper  case  in  every  respect.    It  is  a  common  packing 
box,  made  with  paste  or  binders'  board  partitions,  and  each  layer  of  eggs  is 


FIG.  1.— CANVAS   COVERED  CASE. 


FIG.  2. — COMMON  TRANSPORTING  CASE. 


TBS  FAntt. 


18 


covered  with  the  same  material.  One  point  connected  with  pacWng  in  these 
boxes  the  shipper  should  know  and  guard  against;  that  is,  it  is  sometimes 
the  case  that  the  pasteboard  cover,  on  which  the  eggs  are  placed,  is  com- 
posed of  two  pieces,  and  during  transporting  or  handling  these  pieces  be- 
come displaced,  or  pass  each  other;  then  the  eggs  above  drop  down  on  the 
lower  ones  and  break  them.  This  difficulty,  however,  can  easily  be  avoided 
by  passing  a  piece  of  stiff  paper  over  the  joints,  which  will  prevent  them, 
passing  each  other.  Any  sized  box  desired  can  be  used  for  this  style  of  case, 
and,  with  a  little  care  on  the  part  of  the  packer  of  the  eggs,  can  be  carried  aa 
safely  as  with  any  of  the  patent  boxes  now  in  vague. 

Fig.  3  consists  of  an  outside  case  or  crate,  in  which  are  fitted  a  number  of 
trays  with  cord  laced  through  the  sides  and  ends,  dividing  the  spaces  into 
small  squares  or  meshes,  and  making  a  delicate  spring,  which  responds  to 
the  slightest  jar.  Bows  of  pockets  are  suspended  from  the  cord  work,  giv- 
ing to  each  a  separate  apartment,  and  so  arranged  that  no  jar  nor  jolt  the 

carrier  may  receive  can. 
cause  one  egg  to  strike  an- 
other, and  being  thus  sepa- 
rated, a  free  circulation  of 
air  is  obtained,  which  pre- 
vents heating  by  any  pos- 
sibility. Each  tray  is  pro- 
vided with  a  protectory 
which  keeps  the  eggs  in  the 
pocket  even  though  the  car- 
rier be  overturned.  As  each, 
tray  contains  a  certain 
number,  no  errors  in  count 
can  ever  occur,  and  the  pur- 
chaser can  determine  at  & 
glance  both  the  number  and 
quality  of  the  eggs.  By 
using  this  carrier  a  child 
can  pack  as  well  as  a  man. 
One  of  these  carriers,  the  size  shown,  will  hold  sixty  dozen  of  eggs. 

Milk  for  Hens. — Fanny  Field  thus  expresses  herself  as  to  the  food  value 
of  milk  for  hens:  "  I  quite  agree  with  the  correspondent  of  the  American 
Poultry  Yard,  who  declares  there  is  no  feed  on  earth  so  good  for  fowls  and 
chicks  as  milk  in  some  form.  For  very  young  chicks  we  make  the  clabbered 
milk  into  Dutch  cheese,  and  use  the  whey  to  mix  feed  for  other  fowls  and 
chickens.  From  the  time  they  are  a  week  old  till  sent  to  market  for  broilers, 
our  early  chicks  have  all  the  milk,  sweet  or  sour,  or  buttermilk,  that  they 
can  drink.  If  the  home  supply  of  milk  falls  short  of  the  demand,  we  buy 
skim  milk  at  two  cents  a  quart,  and  consider  it  cheap  at  that.  For  laying 
hens  in  winter  there  is  nothing  better  than  a  liberal  supply  of  milk.  A  pan 
of  warm  milk,  with  a  dash  of  pepper  in  it,  every  morning,  will  do  more 
toward  inducing  hens  to  lay  in  cold  weather  than  all  the  egg-food  in  crea- 
tion. For  fattening  fowls,  we  find  that  boiled  vegetables  mixed  with  milk 
and  barley  or  cornmeal  will  put  on  flesh  at  an  astonishing  rate.  Don't  bo 
afraid  to  give  milk  to  fowls  or  chicks;  from  the  time  when  the  chicks  are 
given  the  first  feed  up  to  within  the  last  day  of  the  old  fowl's  life,  milk  may 
be  safely  and  profitably  ^iven."  -—         _  -----    ;_ 


FIG.  3.— SUSPENSION  EGG  CAKRIEB. 


i«,  TBS  POULTRY    YARD. 

foultry  Keeping  for  Profit—During  the  year  1884,  Mr.  Henry  Stewart 
contributed  to  the  New  York  Times  a  series  of  articles  containing  many 
valuable  suggestions  for  those  who  wish  to  make  poultry-keeping  a  busi- 
ness. His  plan  is  briefly  as  follows:  Each  yard  is  to  consist  of  a  plot  of 
ground  about  100x400  feet,  containing  nearly  one  acre,  with  a  suitable 
fence.  The  house  is  placed  in  the  center  of  the  yard  and  a  cross-fence  on  a; 
line  with  the  house  divides  it  into  two  parts.  These  two  parts  are  alter- 
nately sown  thickly  with  some  crop  that,  will  afford  forage  for  the  fowls.  In 
September  they  are  placed  on  one  side  sown  thickly  with  turnips.  The 
other  is  immediately  plowed  up  and  sown  with  rye.  The  fowls  will  do  very 
■well  for  the  winter  in  one  side,  with  an  occasional  day  in  the  green  rye.  In 
November  wheat  is  sown,  after  the  turnips  are  eaten  off.  In  April  we  may 
flow  oats,  in  May  corn,  in  June  rape  or  mustard  seed  and  in  July  begin  the 
rotation  again  with  rutabagas. 

As  a  rule  a  house  twenty-five  feet  long,  ten  feet  wide,  eight  feet  high  in 
the  front  and  five  feet  in  the  rear,  will  be  quite  large  enough  for  the  one 
hundred  fowls  to  be  kept  in  each  yard.  This  should  be  cleaned  at  least 
once  a  week,  the  oftener  the  better.  The  inside  walls  are  quite  smooth,  hav- 
ing no  fixtures  except  the  roosting  poles,  which  are  on  a  level  one  foot  from 
the  ground.  This  leaves  no  harbor  for  vermin.  The  nests  are  loose  boxes. 
Mr.  Stewart  also  suggests  that  where  a  series  of  yards  are  kept,  the  inside 
fences  may  be  movable,  so  that  while  the  fowls  are  all  confined  to  one  side, 
the  fences  may  be  removed  from  the  other,  thus  facilitating  the  plowing  and 
planting.  ( 

"  It  is  evident,"  he  adds,  "  that  this  system  will  greatly  enrich  the  soil, 
and  this  may  be  turned  to  good  account  by  raising  fruit  trees  in  the  poultry 
yards.  No  other  fruit  crop  pays  so  well  as  plums,  but  none  is  eo  hard  to 
grow  on  account  of  the  pestiferous  curcuUo.  But  when  plums  are  grown  in 
a  poultry  yard  this  insect  has  no  chance.  The  sharp  eyes  of  the  fowls  let  no 
rogue  escape,  and  one  can  raise  plums  with  success  and  profit.  As  200  of 
these  trees  can  be  planted  on  one  acre,  there  is  a  possibility  of  $400  per  acre 
from  the  fruit  as  well  as  $200  from  the  fowls;  for  every  hen  well  cared  for 
should  make  a  clear  profit  of  two  dollars  in  the  year.  The  yards  may  be 
planted  with  dwarf  pear  trees,  with  equal  profit  or  more,  because  300  of  them 
may  be  placed  on  one  acre.  The  shade  of  these  trees  is  invaluable."  It  is 
also  recommended  that  a  row  or  small  grove  of  Norway  Spruce,  Arbor- vitae 
or  Austrian  pine  be  planted  each  side  of  the  house  to  serve  as  a  wind  break 
for  the  fowls  in  winter. 

Raising  Chickens  by  Artificial  Mothers._Mr.  E.  S.  Renwick  writes 
from  a  large  experience  upon  the  above  subject,  in  the  American  Agricul- 
turist.   He  says: 

When  a  fancier  raises  forty  or  fifty  chickens  a  year,  as  amusement,  the 
amount  of  care  which  he  gives  them  is  never  taken  into  account;  but  if  the 
number  of  chickens  be  increased  to  several  hundreds,  some  means  must  be 
provided  by  which  so  large  a  number  can  be  taken  care  of  without  too  much 
labor.  For  supplying  warmth  and  protection  to  young  chickens,  various 
•*  artificial  mothers,"  or  "  brooders,"  have  been  devised.  Those  in  the  mar- 
feet  are  well  enough  adapted  to  the  raising  of  a  small  number  of  chickens  of 
nearly  the  same  age,  but  it  becomes  a  difficult  matter  when  from  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  to  five  hundred  are  to  be  raised,  and  of  all  ages,  from  those 
just  hatched  to  those  large  enough  for  broilers.  Young  chickens  must  have 
plenty  of  air,  exercise  and  wholesome  green  food;  and  means  of  protection 


TEE   FABM. 


against  injury  must  be  provided.  Where  young  chickens  of  different  ages 
are  together,  the  elder  tyrannize  over  the  younger,  the  newly-hatched 
chickens  being  frequently  trampled  to  death,  or  are  driven  away  from 
their  food  by  the  stronger.  Young  chickens  are  very  often  lost  in  the  grass 
when  at  liberty,  and  are  frequently  wet  and  chilled.  Herce,  to  successfully 
raise  a  large  number  of  chickens  by  hand,  various  means  must  be  provided 
by  which  those  of  different  ages  can  be  separated,  and  by  which  the  chickens 
can  be  protected  and  at  the  same  time  have  sufficient  liberty  for  exercise 
and  development  in  the  open  air. 

A  Rustic  Poultry  House. — The  rustic  poultry  house  here  illustrated  is 
not  only  convenient,  but  designed  to  beautify  the  poultry  yard  of  any  ama- 
teur or  breeder.  For  the  rustic  work,  join  four  pieces  of  sapling  in  an  ob- 
long shape  for  sills;  confine  them  to  the  ground;  erect  at  the  middle  of  each 
of  the  two  ends  a  forked  post,  of  suitable  height,  in  order  to  make  the  sides 
quite  steep;  join  these  w#h  a  ridge  pole;  put  on  any  rough  or  old  boards 

from  the  apex  down  to  the 
ground;  then  cover  it  with 
bark,  cut  in  rough  pieces, 
from  half  to  a  foot  square^ 
laid  on  and  confined  in  the 
same  manner  as  ordinary 
shingles;  fix  the  back  end 
in  the  same  way;  and  the 
front  can  be  latticed  with 
little  poles, 'with  the  bark 
on,  arranged  diamond  fash- 
ion, as  shown  in  the  en- 
graving. The  door  can  be 
made  in  any  style  of  rustic 
form.  The  roosts,  laying 
and  setting  boxes  can  be 
placed  inside  of  the  house, 
in  almost  any  position, 
either  lengthwise  or  in  the 
rear.  From  the  directions  here  given  one  can  easily  build  a  houae  of  any 
desired  size,  and  in  any  location  in  the  poultry  yard  be  wishes;  but  to  make 
the  rusticity  of  the  house  show  off  to  the  best  advantage  it  should  be  placed 
amid  shrubbery. 

The  Hatching  Period. — Setting  hens  should  have  a  daily  run.  Do  not 
remove  them  forcibly  from  their  nests,  but  let  the  door  be  open  every  day  at 
a  given  hour  for  a  certain  time  while  the  attendant  is  about.  Perhaps  for 
the  first  day  or  two  you  may  have  to  take  them  gently  off  their  nests,  and 
deposit  them  on  the  ground  outside  the  door.  They  will  soon,  however, 
learn  the  habit  and  come  out  when  the  door  is  open,  eat,  drink,  have  a  dust- 
bath  and  return  to  their  nests. 

While  hens  are  off  their  nests  some  people  dampen  the  eggs  with  luke- 
warm water.  It  is  claimed  that  moisture  is  necessary,  and  that  the  chicks 
gain  strength  by  the  process.  This  may  be  correct,  and  in  very  dry  weather, 
perhaps,  necessary.  It  is  generally,  however,  a  mistake  to  meddle  too  much 
with  nest  or  eggs;  the  hen  is  only  made  restless  and  dissatisfied  by  so  doing. 
While  the  eggs  are  hatching  out  it  is  best  not  to  touch  the  nests,    It  is  very 


A  KUSTIC  POTTLTKY  HOUSE. 


&  9BE  POVLTHT    YARD. 

foolish  to  fuss  tlao  old  bird  and  make  her  angry,  as  she  may  tread  on  the 
eggs  in  her  fury,  and  crush  the  chicks  when  they  are  in  the  most  delicate 
stage  of  hatching. 

Picking  off  the  shell  to  help  the  imprisoned  chick  is  always  a  more  or  less 
.Hazardous  proceeding,  and  should  never  be  had  recourse  to  unless  the  egg 
has  been  what  is  termed  "  billed  "  for  a  long  time,  in  which  case  the  chick  is 
probably  a  weakly  one  and  may  need  a  little  help,  which  must  be  given  with 
the  greatest  caution,  in  order  that  the  tender  membranes  of  the  skin  shall  not 
be  lacerated.  A  little  help  should  be  given  at  a  time,  every  two  or  three 
hours;  but  if  any  blood  is  perceived  stop  at  once,  as  it  is  a  proof  that  the 
chick  is  not  quite  ready  to  be  liberated.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  minute 
blood  vessels  which  are  spread  all  over  the  interior  of  the  shell  are  blood* 
less,  then  you  may  be  sure  the  chick  is  in  some  way  stuck  to  the  shell  by  its 
feathers,  or  is  too  weakly  to  get  out  of  its  prison-house. 

The  old  egg  shells  should  be  removed  from  under  the  hen,  but  do  not 
take  away  her  chicks  from  her  one  by  one  as  they  hatch  out,  as  is  very  often 
advised,  for  it  only  makes  her  very  uneasy,  and  the  natural  warmth  of  her 
body  is  far  better  for  them  at  that  early  stage  than  artificial  heat.  Should 
only  a  few  chicks  have  been  hatched  out  of  the  sitting,  and  the  other  re- 
maining eggs  show  no  signs  of  life  when  examined,  no  sounds  of  the  little 
birds  inside,  then  the  water  test  should  be  tried.  Get  a  basin  of  warm  water, 
not  really  hot,  and  put  those  eggs  about  which  you  do  not  feel  certain  into 
it.  If  they  contain  chicks  they  will  float  on  the  top,  if  they  move  or  dance 
the  chicks  are  alive,  but  if  they  float  without  movement  the  inmates  will 
most  likely  bef'dead.  If  they  (the  eggs)  are  rotten  they  will  sink  to  the  bot- 
tom. Put  the  floating  ones  back  under  the  hen,  and  if,  on  carefully  break- 
ing the  others,  you  find  the  test  is  correct  (one  puncture  will  be  sufficient  to 
tell  you  this),  bury  them  at  once. 

Chickens  should  never  be  set  free  from  their  shells  in  a  hurry,  because  it 
is  necessary  for  their  well-being  that  they  should  have  taken  in  all  the  yelk, 
for  that  serves  them  as  food  for  twenty-four  hours  after  they  see  the  light, 
so  no  apprehension  need  be  felt  if  they  do  not  eat  during  that  period,  if  they 
seem  quite  strong,  gain  their  feet,  and  their  little  downy  plumage  spreads 
out  and  dries  properly.  Their  best  place  is  under  the  hen  for  the  time 
named. 

When  all  are  hatched,  cleanse  the  nest  completely,  and  well  dredge  the 
hen's  body  with  sulphur  powder;  give  her  the  chicks,  and  place  chopped 
egg  and  bread-crumbs  within  reach.  The  less  they  are  disturbed  during 
the  first  two  or  three  days  the  better.  Warmth  is  essential,  and  a  constantly 
brooding  hen  is  a  better  mother  than  one  which  fusses  the  infant  chicks 
about  and  keeps  calling  them  to  feed.  Pen  the  hen  in  a  coop  and  let  the 
chicks  have  free  egress.  The  best  place  to  stand  the  coops  is  under  shel- 
tered runs,  guarded  from  cold  winds,  the  ground  dry,  and  deep  in  sand  and 
mortar  sittings.  Further  warmth  is  unnecessary  if  the  mothers  are  good; 
and  if  the  roof  is  of  glass,  so  as  to  secure  every  ray  of  sun,  so  much  the 
better.  Cleanliness  of  coops,  beds,  flooring,  water  vessels  and  flood  tins 
must  be  absolute.  The  oftener  the  chicks  are  fed  the  better,  but  food  must 
never  be  left;  water  must  be  made  safe,  or  death  from  drowning  and  chills 
m&ybe  expected.  The  moment  weather  permits,  free  range  on  grass  for 
several  hours  daily  is  desirable,  but  shelter  should  always  be  at  hand. 

Packing  Poultry  for  Market. — All  poultry  should  be  thoroughly 
io«led  and  dried  before  packing,  preparatory  for  shipment  to  market.    For 


PACKING  POULTRY.— FIG.  1. 


THE   FARMS*. 

packing  the  fowl  provide  boxes,  as  they  aro  greatly  preferable  to  barrels. 
Commence  your  packing  by  placing  a  layer  of  rye  straw,  that  has  been 
thoroughly  cleaned  from  dust,  on  the  bottom  of  the  box.  Bend  the  head  of 
the  first  fowl  under  it,  as  shown  in  our  illustration  (Fig.  1),  and  then  lay  it 
in  the  left  hand  corner,  with  the  head  against  the  end  of  the  box,  with  the 
back  up.  Continue  to  fill  this  row  in  the  same  manner  until  completed; 
then  begin  the  second  row  the  same  way,  letting  the  head  of  the  bird  pass  up 
between  the  rump  of  the  two  adjoining  ones,  which  will  make  it  complete  and 

solid  (see  illustration,  Fig. 
2).  In  packing  the  last 
row,  reverse  the  order, 
placing  the  head  against  the 
end  of  the  box,  letting  the 
feet  pass  under  each  other. 
Lastly,  fill  tight  with  straw, 
so  that  the  poultry  cannot 
move.  This  gives  a  firmness 
in  packing  that  will  prevent  moving  during  transportation.  Care  should  be 
taken  to  have  the  box  filled  full. 

Poultry  Raising  as  a  Business«_Mr.  P.  H.  Jacobs,  a  practical  poul- 
try man,  writes  as  follows  in  the  American  Agriculturist:  A  flock  often  hens 
can  be  comfortably  kept  in  a  yard  twenty  feet  wide  by  fifty  deep.  An  acre 
of  ground  will  contain  forty  such  yards,  or  four  hundred  hens.  No  cocks 
are  necessary  unless  the  eggs  are  desired  for  incubation.  To  estimate  $1.50 
as  a  clear  profit  for  each  hen,  is  not  the  maximum  limit,  but  the  profit 
accrues  according  to  the  management  given.  Poultry  thrives  best  when 
running  at  large,  but  this  applies  only  to  small  flocks.  Hens  kept  by  the 
hundred  become  too  crowded 
while  at  large,  no  matter  how 
wide  the  range,  and  sickness  and 
loss  occur.  Large  flocks  must  be 
divided,  and  the  size  of  the 
yard  required  for  a  flock  is  of 
but  little  importance  compared 
with  that  of  the  management. 
There  is  much  profit  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  sale  of  young 
chicks — and,  where  one  pays 
attention  to  the  business — they 
receive  the  greatest  care.  Each 
brood,  like  the  adult,  is  kept 
separate  from  the  others  in  a 

little  coop,  which  prevents  quarreling  among  the  hens,  and  enables  the 
manager  to  count  and  know  all  about  the  chicks.  This  is  very  important,  as 
there  are  many  farmers  who  hatch  scores  of  broods  and  yet  cannot  tell  what 
became  of  two- thirds  of  them.  Hawks,  crows,  cats,  rats,  and  other  depreda- 
tors take  their  choice,  and  the  owners  are  no  wiser.  Each  setting  hen  should 
be  in  a  coop  by  herself,  and  each  coop  should  have  a  lath  run.  The  critical 
period  is  the  forming  of  the  feathers,  which  calls  for  frequent  feeding,  and 
when  they  have  passed  that  stage,  the  chicks  become  hardy.  The  houses 
need  not  be  more  than  eight  feet  square  for  each  family,  and  can  be  doubled. 
i<;  p033ible,  it  m  to*tf.  to  hav§  changeable  yard*,  but,  k  uwmJ,  a  less  number 


PACKING  POULTRY. — FIG.  2. 


20  T£E  TGXflTKY   TARS, 

canTae  kept  to  an  acre.  If  the  yards  are  kept  clean  by  an  occasional  spading," 
however,  green  stuff  may  be  grown  elsewhere  and  thrown  over  to  them. 
This  may  consist  of  cabbage,  grass,  turnip  tops,  kale,  mustard,  lettuce,  etc. 
Watering  must  not  be  neglected,  or  the  meals  given  irregu  larly.  Care  must 
be  observed  not  to  feed  too  much,  as  over-fat  fowls  will  lay  few  eggs,  and 
such  eggs  will  not  hatch.  A  good  poultry  manager  is  always  among  his 
fowls,  and  observes  everything.  The  breeds  have  special  characteristics 
also.  The  large  fowls  must  be  hatched  in  March,  if  early  pullets  are  desired 
for  winter  laying.  This  applies  to  Brahmas,  Cochins  and  Plymouth  Rocks. 
If  the  manager  rinds  this  impossible,  he  should  at  once  substitute  cocks  of 
the  Leghorn  breed,  which  crossed  with  large  hens,  make  good  marketable 
chicks,  and  produce  pullets  that  mature  early.  A  knowledge  of  the  charac- 
teristics of  the  several  breeds  is  indispensable  to  success.  Crossing  pure- 
bred cocks  with  common  hens  is  excellent,  but  "  fancy  poultry "  is  not 
profitable  to  any  but  those  who  understand  thoroughly  the  mating  and 
selection  of  the  several  breeds,, 

Poultry  on  a,  Large  Scale. — People  thinking  of  raising  chickens  on  a 
large  scale  will  do  well  to  note  the  following  sound  advice  by  the  Poultry 
Monthly: 

"  There  are  many  persons  of  moderate  means  who  have  had  perhaps  some 
little  experience  with  breeding  poultry,  and  who  get  to  wondering  if  it  will 
pay  to  breed  poultry  on  a  large  scale;  whether  it  will  pay  to  embark  in  the 
breeding  of  poultry  for  market  purposes  as  a  business,  and  if  it  is  good  policy 
to  give  up  a  fair  paying  clerkship  or  small  business  to  engage  in  it.  Such 
questions  are  very  difficult  to  determine  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  persona 
concerned,  for  much  more  really  depends  on  the  person  than  on  the  business 
in  nearly  every  department  of  human  industry,  and  where  one  person  may 
make  a  success  of  any  undertaking  another  one  may  fail,  though  having 
started  with  equally  as  good  chances  of  success.  Poultry,  to  be  successful 
on  a  large  scale,  must  be  kept  in  small  colonies  of  about  fifty  birds  each,  for 
many  more  than  that  number  in  a  single  house  is  apt  to  cause  sickness  or 
disease,  ere  long,  among  them.  Small  flocks  like  that  can  be  given  better 
attention  than  larger  ones,  and  the  first  approach  of  disorder  can  be  seen 
readily  and  promptly  checked,  while  there  is  less  danger  of  great  loss  whea 
thus  kept  in  small  flocks,  as  the  trouble  can  usually  be  confined  to  the  flock 
in  which  it  started  by  proper  and  prompt  sanitary  measures.  When  the 
breeder  is  not  too  far  away  from  large  retail  markets,  and  especially  where 
the  breeder  can  market  them  himself,  thus  saving  commission,  freight,  and 
loss,  it  pays  best  to  breed  and  keep  poultry  for  the  eggs  they  produce,  as 
eggs  known  to  be  strictly  fresh  are  always  in  good  demand  at  quite  an  in- 
crease in  price  over  that  received  for  the  ordinary  "  store "  eggs.  Such 
breeds  as  the  white  and  the  brown  Leghorns,  and  birds  bred  from  them, 
either  pure  breed  or  cross  breed  or  grade,  as  a  basis,  are  first-class  egg  pro- 
ducers, while  a  game  cock  is  also  valuable  to  breed  to  good  common  hens, 
producing,  as  a  rule,  vigorous,  active  pullets,  which  are  invariably  good 
layers.  Those  who  wish  to  raise  poultry  principally  for  the  flesh  should 
raise  the  light  Brahmas,  Plymouth  Bocks,  dark  Brahmas,  or  some  of  the 
Cochin  breeds,  the  first  two  named,  however,  being  general  favorites  in  this 
respect,  and  also  combining  with  it  good  laying  qualities  under  favorable 
circumstances.  Those  who  cannot  or  will  not  give  the  poultry  regular  or 
constant  attention,  shelter  them  properly,  supply  proper  food  in  liberal 
quantities  and  at  frequent  and  regular  interval^  and  pay  a  strict  attention 


THE   FAHM. 


FIG.  1.— FEEDING  HOPPER. 


to  cleanliness  and  thoroughness  in  all  th«  details  of  the  management,  need 
not  expect  even  to  succeed,  not  to  even  consider  the  question  of  loss  or 
profits,  for  success  and  profit  here  means  work,  work,  work." 

Feeding  Hoppers  for  Fowls—We  give  herewith  designs  for  two  styles 

of  feeding  hoppers  for  fowls, 
deeming  anything  that  has  a 
tendency  toward  economy 
will  be  beneficial  to  the 
farmer  as  well  as  to  the 
amateur  breeder  of  fowls. 

The  illustration,  Fig.  15 
represents  a  very  good  and 
easily  constructed  hopper, 
that  can  be  made  to  contain 
any  quantity  of  corn  re- 
quired, and  none  wasted. 
"When  once  filled  it  requires 
no  more  trouble,  as  the 
grain  falls  into  the  receiver 
below  as  the  fowls  pick  it 
away,  and  the  covers  on  that 
which    are   opened   by  the 

perches,  and  the  cover  on  the  top,  protect  the  grain  from  rain,  so  that  the 

fowls  always  get  it  quite  dry;  and  as  nothing  less  than  the  weight  of  a  fowl 

on  the  perch  can  lift  the  cover  on  the  lower  receiver,  rats  and  mice  are 

excluded. 

Our  illustration,  Pig.  2,  represents  "  a  perfect  feeding  bopjf«r,"  which, 

from    the   description   here 

given,   can  be  easily  con- 
structed by  any  person.    A  is 

an  end  view,  eight  inches  wide, 

two  feet  six  inches  high,  and 

three  feet  long;  B,  the  roof  pro- 
jecting over  the  perch  on  which 

the  fowls  stand  while  feeding; 

C,    the    lid   of  the    receiving 

manger  raised,  exhibiting  the 

grain;  E,  E,  cords  attached  to 

the  perch  and  lid  of  the  manger 

or  feeding  trough;  I,  end  bar 

of  the  perch,  with  a  weight 

attached  to  the  end  to  balance 

the  lid,  otherwise  it  would  not 

close  when  the  fowls  leave  the 

perch;  H,  pully;  G-,  fulcrum. 

The  hinges  on  the  top  show 

that  it  is  to  be  raised  when 

the  hopper  is  to  be  replenished.     When  a  fowl  desires  food  it  hops  upon 

the  bars  of  the  perch,  the  weight  of  which  raises  the  lid  of  the  feed  box, 

exposing  the  grain  to  view,  and  after  satisfying  its  hunger  jumps  off,  an«? 

the  lid  closes.    Of  course  the  dimensions  of  either  of  these  feeding  hoppere 

may  be  increased  to  any  size  desired* 


FIG.  2.— A  SERFECT  FEEDING  HOPPER. 


&  TEE   POTTLTnr    YAHD. 

Winter  Egg-Production—The  following  is  from  the  Counii'y  Gentle- 
man: To  obtain  a  breed  of  fowls  that  are  perpetual  layers  is  the  object 
that  many  aim  at.  This  is  an  impossibility,  for  nature  will  exhaust  itself 
and  must  have  a  period  of  rest.  In  order  that  we  have  a  perpetual  produc- 
tion of  fresh  eggs,  the  business  must  be  arranged  beforehand.  There  is  a 
difference  in  breeds,  some  laying  better  than  others  at  any  time  of  the  year, 
and  others,  again,  giving  their  eggs  in  winter.  There  is  little  difficulty  in 
obtaining  eggs  in  summer,  but  the  winter  eggs  must  be  worked  for,  and  the 
fowls  managed  beforehand.  Hens  that  have  laid  well  during  the  summer 
cannot  be  depended  on  for  late  fall  or  early  winter,  even  if  well  fed,  but  will 
generally  commence  in  January,  and  keep  it  up  throughout  February  and 
March,  giving  a  good  supply  of  eggs  if  not  too  old.  But  it  is  better  not  to 
allow  such  birds  to  go  into  the  winter.  They  are  generally  fat,  after  having 
finished  the  annual  moult,  and  should  be  killed  for  the  table.  After  the 
second  annual  moult  hens  are  apt  to  become  egg-bound,  especially  if  well 
fed  and  fat.  The  excess  of  fat  that  accumulates  about  the  lower  intestines 
and  ovaries  weakens  these  organs  and  renders  them  incapable  of  performing 
their  offices.  Hence  the  fowl  suffers  and  becomes  profitless.  When  left  too 
long  the  bird  becomes  feverish  and  the  flesh  is  unfit  for  food.  The  better 
way  is  to  avoid  this  trouble,  since  there  is  no  cure,  by  not  allowing  the  birds 
to  go  into  the  second  winter.  Trouble  of  this  kind  seldom  occurs  with 
pullets  or  young  hens. 

To  obtain  a  supply  of  winter  eggs,  we  must  have  the  chicks  out  in  March 
or  April.  Leghorns  and  some  of  the  smaller  breeds  will  do  in  May  or  the 
first  of  June,  but  the  Brahmas  and  Cochins  must  come  off  early,  that  they 
may  have  the  full  season  for  growth.  The  Asiastics  are  generally  good 
layers  in  winter,  and  need  less  artificial  heat,  as  nature  has  not  furnished 
them  with  any  ornamental  appendages  which  suffer  by  exposure  to  frost. 
For  them  it  is  not  necessary  to  spend  large  sums  in  warm  buildings.  What 
they  can  dispense  with  in  this  respect  they  demand  in  feed,  which  must  be 
given  regularly.  The  feed  must  be  kept  up  and  varied  with  animal  and 
vegetable  diet.  The  supply  of  water  must  never  fail.  We  must  feed  and 
feed  a  long  time  before  the  eggs  will  come.  Any  breed  of  hens  will  con- 
sume an  enormous  quantity  of  feed  before  commencing  to  lay,  but  after 
having  once  begun  they  will  not  require,  or  even  take  so  much  grain.  When 
laying,  their  great  craving  is  for  vegetable  and  animal  substances,  and 
crushed  clam  or  oyster  shells. 

Fowls  that  are  regularly  trained  have  certain  portions  of  the  day  for  their 
different  feeds.  My  birds  require  their  shells  at  night,  as  well  as  their 
greens,  and  their  grain  in  the  morning,  and  always  fresh  water.  When  one 
has  the  time  and  convenience,  and  enjoys  the  petting  of  fowls,  making  warm, 
stews  on  very  cold  days  is  an  admirable  plan,  and  the  birds  relish  them 
marvelously.  Take  beef  or  pork  scraps,  and  put  into  an  old  kettle,  having 
them  previously  chopped  fine,  and  fill  it  half  full  of  water.  While  stewing, 
throw  in  a  dozen  chopped  onions,  two  dozen  cayenne  peppers,  and  the  day's 
coffee  and  tea-grounds.  Thicken  the  mixture  with  cornmeal,  and  serve  it 
around  among  the  hens  hot.  They  relish  it  amazingly  when  once  taught  to 
eat  it,  and  will  look  for  the  ration  daily  at  the  certain  time.  On  cold  winter 
days  give  this  feed  between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
chicks  get  their  crops  warmed  up  for  the  coming  cold  at  night.  If  scraps  are 
not  handy,  boil  unpeeled  potatoes,  and  serve  in  the  same  manner,  adding  a 
little  grease  or  cold  gravies  left  over  from  yesterday's  dinner. 

The  combed  varieties  require  warmer  quarters  and  sunnier  exposure 


THE   FARM. 


33 


CHICKEN  COOP.— FIG.  1. 


than  th&  .cs,  and  are  good  winter  layers  after  December  and  early 
January.  *frfey  will  lay  in  the  fall  if  early  hatched,  but  the  change  of  fall  to 
winter,  and  the  getting  into  winter  quarters  affects  them,  and  tney  seldom 
commence  again  before  the  days  begin  to  lengthen,  at  which  time  Brahmas 
will  cease  egg-production  and  become  broody.  Where  one  has  the  con- 
venience it  is  well  to  keep  both  kinds,  in  order  to  insure  a  supply  of  eggs.  It 
is  useless  to  expect  many  eggs  from  old  fowls  of  any  variety.  Have  the 
buildings  ready  early,  and  the  fowls  of  the  right  age  and  in  condition  to 
insure  success.    The  business  of  our  domestic  hen  is  to  produce  eggs,  and 

we  must  feed  her  for  it. 

A    Chicken.     Coop. — 

Nail  short  pieces  of 
matched  boards  together 
as  indicated  in  the  cut; 
then  board  up  the  rear 
end  tightly,  and  nail  nar- 
row strips  of  boards  or  lath 
in  front;  put  a  floor  of 
boards  in  the  back  part  of 
the  coop,  large  enough  for  the  hen  to  brood  her  young  upon,  and  lay  a  wide 
board  in  front  to  feed  upon,  as  long  as  the  width  of  the  coop.  The  coop 
should  be  at  least  two  feet  high,  and  from  two  to  three  feet  deep.  The  board 
in  front  may  be  turned  up  at  night  to  prevent  the  young  against  rats,  cats, 
etc.,  and  should  remain  in  the  morning  until  the  dew  is  off  from  the  grass 
The  coop  should  be  moved  every  two  or  three  days  to  a  clean  place.  TM 
second  engraving  shows  a  coop  of  another  construction,  the  tight  apartment 
at  the  end  with  a  slide  door  to  let  down  every  evening,  keeps  the  little 
inmates  secure  from  all  enemies.  A  few  auger  holes  must  be  made  for  ven- 
tilation. The  front  is  a 
simple  frame,  with  lath 
attached  at  sufficient  dis- 
tances to  allow  the  chickens 
to  pass  through.  The  top 
should  be  made  separate, 
and  attached  to  the  side  by 
leather  hinges. 

Feeding  and.  Iiaying. 

— The  best  of  feed  some- 
times fails  to  induce  the  hens 
to  lay.  This  is  not  because 
the  fowls  do  not  get  enough, 

but  because  it  is  not  the  kind  they  desire.  It  may  be  feed  consisting  of 
everything  that  serves  to  satisfy  the  demand  for  egg  material,  and  yet  no 
eggs  will  be  the  result.  There  are  several  causes  for  tbese  complaints,  one 
of  the  principal  being  the  fact  that  a  plentiful  supply  of  pure  fresh  water  is 
not  always  within  reach,  and  unless  water  is  plentiful  the  fowls  will  not  lay. 
"Water  being  the  principal  substance  in  an  egg,  it  cannot  be  limited.  Unless 
the  water  can  be  procured  for  the  egg  the  fowl  cannot  lay.  And  in  cold 
Weather  it  must  be  so  situated  as  to  be  either  protected  from  freezing  or  else 
have  a  little  warm  water  added  to  it  occasionally.  Now  this  is  a  trouble- 
some job  in  winter,  hut  water  will  freeze  on  cold,  d>ys,  aad  consequently  is 


CHICKEN  COOP. — FIG.  2. 


m  TEE  POULTRY   YARDS 

useless  to  the  fowls  when  in  a  frozen  condition.  The  feed,  however,  even 
when  of  the  "best  quality,  may  not  give  satisfaction.  In  that  case,  when  no 
eggs  are  being  derived,  change  it  entirely  for  three  or  four  days.  Give 
something  entirely  different  in  the  morning  from  that  previously  given,  even 
if  inferior,  but  still  give  whole  grains  at  night  in  cold  weather,  for  then  the 
fowls  go  on  the  roost  early  in  the  evening,  and  have  to  remain  in  the  coops 
until  daylight,  which  is  nearly  thirteen  hours,  and  so  long  a  period  demands 
the  solid  food  in  order  to  keep  them  warm  during  the  long  cold  nights. 
"Whole  corn  and  wheat  is  best  for  them  then,  but  in  the  morning  any  kind  of 
mixed  soft  food  makes  a  good  meal  for  a  change.  The  changes  can  be  made 
by  using  good  clover  hay,  steeped  in  warm  water,  after  being  chopped  fine, 
slightly  sprinkled  with  meal,  and  fed  warm,  which  will  be  very  acceptable. 
A  lew  onions  chopped  fine  will  also  be  highly  relished.  Parched  ground 
oats  or  parched  cracked  corn  is  a  splendid  change  of  food  for  a  few  days 
from  the  ordinary  routine  of  every  day.  It  stimulates  them  if  fed  warm,  and 
is  a  good  corrective  of  bowel  complaints,  especially  if  some  of  the  grains 
are  parched  till  burned.  The  matter  of  feeding  is  to  give  variety,  and  if  the 
food  is  of  good  quality  also,  a  good  supply  of  eggs  may  be  expected  at  all 
times,  but  with  good  quarters  and  plenty  of  water  the  prospects  will  be 
better. 

Successful  Poultry  Raisiug._Mr.  Charles  Lyman,  a  successful  raiser 
of  poultry,  writes  as  follows:  In  raising  poultry  or  stock  of  any  kind,  it 
should  be  the  aim  of  every  one  to  keep  it  healthy  and  improve  it.  You  can 
do  it  very  easily  by  adopting  some  systematic  rules.  These  may  be  summed 
up  in  brief,  as  follows: 

1.  Construct  your  house  good  and  warm,  so  as  to  avoid  damp  floors,  and 
afford  a  flood  of  sunlight.    Sunshine  is  better  than  medicine. 

2.  Provide  a  dusting  and  scratching  place  where  you  can  bury  wheat  and 
corn  and  thus  induce  the  fowls  to  take  the  needful  exercise. 

3.  Provide  yourself  with  some  good,  healthy  chickens,  none  to  be  over 
three  or  four  years  old,  giving  one  cock  to  every  twelve  hens. 

4.  Give  plenty  of  fresh  air  at  all  times,  especially  in  summer. 

5.  Give  plenty  of  fresh  water  daily,  and  never  allow  the  k  fowls  to  go 
thirsty. 

6.  Feed  them  systematically  two  or  three  times  a  day;  scatter  the  food  so 
they  can't  eat  too  fast,  or  without  proper  exercise.  Do  not  feed  more  than 
they  will  eat  up  clean,  or  they  will  get  tired  of  that  kind  of  feed. 

7.  Give  them  a  variety  of  both  dry  and  cooked  feed;  a  mixture  of  cooked 
meat  and  vegetables  is  an  excellent  thing  for  their  morning  meal. 

8.  Give  soft  feed  in  the  morning,  and  the  whole  grain  at  night,  except  a 
little  wheat  or  cracked  corn  placed  in  the  scratching  places  to  give  them 
exercise  during  the  day. 

9.  Above  all  things  keep  the  hen  house  clean  and  well  ventilated. 

10.  Do  not  crowd  too  many  in  one  house.    If  you  do,  look  out  for  disease. 

11.  Use  carbolic  powder  occasionally  in  the  dusting  bins  to  destroy  lice. 

12.  Wash  your  roosts  and  bottom  of  laying  nests,  and  whitewash  once  a 
week  in  summer,  and  once  a  month  in  winter. 

13.  Let  the  old  and  young  have  as  large  a  range  as  possible — the  larger 
the  better. 

14.  Don't  breed  too  many  kinds  of  fowls  at  the  same  time,  unless  you 
are  going  into  the  business.  Three  or  four  will  give  you  your  hands 
Co&. 


TBS  FARM.  2g 

15.  Introduce  new  blood  into  your  stock  every  year  or  eo,  by  either  buy- 
ing a  cockerel  or  settings  of  eggs  from  some  reliable  breeder. 

16.  In  buying  birds  or  eggs,  go  to  some  reliable  breeder  who  has  his 
reputation  at  stake.  You  may  have  to  pay  a  little  more  for  birds,  but  you 
can  depend  on  what  you  get.    Culls  are  not  cheap  at  any  price. 

17.  Save  the  best  birds  for  next  year's  breeding,  and  send  the  other3  to 
market.    In  shipping  fancy  poultry  to  market  send  it  dressed. 

Fish  for  Poultry. — In  preparing  fish  for  fowls,  we  prefer  to  chop  them 
up  raw,  add  a  very  little  salt  and  pepper,  and  feed  in  small  quantities  in 
conjunction  with  grain  and  vegetables;  but  for  young  chicks  it  is  advisable 
to  boil  before  feeding,  and  simply  open  the  fish  down  the  line  of  the  back 
bone,  leaving  to  the  chicks  the  rest  of  the  task.  This  food  shall  be  given  to 
layers  sparingly,  or  we  may  perceive  a  fishy  smell  about  the  eggs,  especially 
if  the  fish  is  fed  raw.  All  who  can  will  do  well  to  try  this  diet  for  their 
flocks,  and  note  its  effect  on  egg  production.  We  have  always  marked  a 
decided  increase  in  the  rate  of  laying  following  an  allowance  of  fish  fed  in 
moderate  quantities. 

There  are  hundreds  of  our  readers  who  live  near  or  on  rivers  or  lakes,  or 
the  sea  shore,  where  they  can  get  considerable  offal  fish,  such  as  are  either 
too  small  to  market,  or  are  cast  out  as  unfit  to  be  sold.  Hundreds  of  bushels 
of  these  fish  are  annually  used  for  manure,  either  composted  or  plowed  in 
direct.  In  this  connection  they  are  very  good,  though  many  a  basketful 
could  be  put  to  better  account  by  feeding  them  to  your  fowls;  and  they  are 
very  fond  of  this  diet,  though  care  must  be  taken  not  to  feed  it  exclusively, 
for  it  may  cause  extreme  laxity. 

To  Cure  Pip — This  is  a  troublesome  and  somewhat  fatal  complaint  to 
which  all  domestic  poultry  are  liable;  it  is  also  a  very  common  one.  Some 
writers  say  it  is  the  result  of  cold;  others,  that  is  promoted  by  the  use  of  bad 
water.  But,  whatever  the  cause,  the  disease  is  easily  detected.  There  is  a 
thickening  of  the  membrane  of  the  tongue,  particularly  at  the  tip;  also  a 
difficulty  in  breathing;  the  beak  is  frequently  held  open,  the  tongue  dry,  the 
feathers  of  the  head  ruffled  and  the  bird  falls  off  in  food;  and  if  neglected, 
dies.  The  mode  of  cure  which,  if  put  in  practice  in  time,  is  generally  suc- 
cessful, is  to  remove  the  thickened  membrane  from  the  tongue  with  the 
nails  of  the  forefinger  and  thumb.  The  process  is  not  difficult,  for  the  mem- 
brane is  not  adhesive.  Then  take  a  lump  of  butter,  mix  into  it  some  strong 
Scotch  snuff,  and  put  two  or  three  large  pills  of  this  down  the  fowl's  throat. 
Keep  it  from  cold  and  damp,  and  it  will  soon  recover.  It  may,  perhaps,  be 
necessary  to  repeat  the  snuff  balls.  Some  writers  recommend  a  mixture  of 
butter,  pepper,  garlic,  and  scraped  horseradish;  but  we  believe  the  Scotch 
snuff  to  be  the  safest,  as  it  is  the  most  simple. 

Eggs  and  Pullets— Unless  you  want  a  large  proportion  of  cockerels  do 
not  sell  all  the  largest  eggs  you  can  pick  out.  There  are  no  means  known  by 
which  the  sex  of  eggs  can  with  certainty  be  determined.  Although  many 
thought  some  sign  indicated  the  sex,  yet  after  repeated  fair  trials,  all  these 
indications  have  entirely  failed  with  me,  except  the  one  which  follows:  With 
regard  to  the  egc,3  of  most  of  the  feathered  kingdom,  if  you  pick  the  largest 
out  of  the  nest,  they  are  the  ones  that  generally  produce  males,  especially  if 
they  happen  to  be  the  first  laid.  Even  in  a  canary's  nest  it  is  noticeable  that 
the  first  egg  laid  is  very  often  the  largest,  the  young  from  it  is  the  first  out, 
keeps  ahead  of  its  comrades,  is  the  first  to  quit  the  nest,  and  the  first  to  sing. 


9B 


TEE   POVLTRY    YARD. 


How  to  Produce  Layers—Mr.  L.  Wright  says:  In  eyery  lot  of  hens 
some  will  be  better  layers  than  others.  Let  us  suppose  we  start  with  six 
Houdans— a  cock  and  five  hens.  Probably  out  of  this  five  two  may  lay  thirty 
eggs  per  annum  more  than  either  of  the  others;  their  eggs  should  be  noticed 
and  only  these  set.  By  following  this  for  a  few  years  a  very  great  increase 
in  egg  production  may  be  attained.  My  attention  was  drawn  to  this  subject 
by  a  friend  having  a  Brahma  pullet  which  laid  nearly  three  hundred  eggs  in 
one  twelve-month,  though  valueless  as  a  fancy  bird,  and  the  quality  de- 
scended to  several  of  her  progeny;  and  I  have  since  found  other  instances 
which  prove  conclusively  that  a  vast  improvement  might  easily  be  effected 
in  nearly  all  our  breeds  Were  that  careful  selection  of  brood  stocks  made  for 
this  purpose  which  the  fancier  bestows  on  other  objects.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
more  is  not  done  in  this  way,  and  having  more  room  than  I  had,  I  hope  my- 
self to  make  some  experiments  in  this  direction  shortly.  I  will  say  now  that 
I  am  perfectly  certain  the  number  of  two  hundred  eggs  per  annum  might  be 
attained  in  a  few  years  with  perfect  ease  were  the  object  systematically 
sought;  and  I  trust  these  few  remarks  may  arouse  a  general  attention  to  it 
f.mong  those  who  keep  poultry  for  eggs  only,  and  who  can  easily  do  all  that 
is  necessary  without  any 
knowledge  whatever  of 
fancy  points,  or  any  attempt 

to  breed  exhibition  birds.  /$%% 

Jyy. 

A  Grain  Chest  for 
Fowls. — We  illustrate  an 
excellent  grain  chest  for 
fowls .  The  trough  ( 1 ) ,  two 
inches  high.  The  front  of 
the  chest  extends  down- 
ward no  further  than  the 
top  of  the  trough,  thus 
leaving  a  free  passage  for 
grain  from  the  chest  into 
the  trough.  The  dotted  line  (2)  shows  the  position  of  a  board  in  the  chest, 
placed  there  to  conduct  the  grain  into  the  trough  as  fast  as  it  is  eaten  out  by 
the  fowls.  The  platform  (3)  is  for  the  fowls  to  stand  upon  while  eating.  Ife 
should  not  be  wide  enough  to  induce  them  to  form  a  habit  of  sitting  upon  it. 
A  board  (4)  is  fastened  to  the  front  of  the  chest  and  extends  over  the  trough 
to  prevent  filth  from  falling  into  it.  The  cover  of  the  chest  (5)  should  ex- 
tend a  little  over  the  front,  that  it  may  be  handily  raised,  and  should  rest 
inclined  to  prevent  fowls  from  roosting  on  it.  An  extension  of  the  back  of 
the  chest  (6),  with  two  holes  in  it,  is  provided  so  that  it  may  be  hung  on  cor- 
responding wooden  pins.  If  it  is  hung  up  in  that  way  it  will  be  necessary  to 
put  some  kind  of  a  key  through  each  of  the  pins,  to  prevent  its  being  jarred 
off  from  them.  It  should  be  hung  so  that  the  platform  will  be  at  least  two 
feet  from  the  floor.  It  may  be  made  any  length.  A  square  chest,  for  a  post 
in  the  yard,  can  be  made  on  the  same  principle. 

How  to  Fatten  Turkeys. — Nothing  pays  better  to  be  sent  to  market  in 
prime  condition  than  the  turkey  crop.  Many  farmers  do  not  understand 
this.  Their  turkeys  grow  on  a  limited  range,  getting  little  or  no  food  at  home 
through  the  summer,  and  if  fed  at  all  with  regularity  it  is  only  for  two  or 
three  weeks  before  killing,    J  see  these  lean,  bony  carcasses  in  the  local 


GRAIN  CHEST  FOR  FOWLS. 


TRE   FA  It  if.  % 

markets  every  winter,  and  feel  sorry  for  the  owner's  loss.  They  have  re- 
ceived a  small  price  for  their  birds  and  a  still  poorer  price  for  the  food  fed 
out.  The  average  life  of  a  turkey  is  only  seven  months,  and  the  true  econ- 
omy of  feeding  is  to  give  the  chicks  all  they  can  digest  from  the  shell  to  the 
slaughter.  If  they  get  all  they  can  eat  on  the  range,  that  is  well.  Usually 
this  should  he  supplemented  hy  regular  rations  when  they  come  from  the 
roost  in  the  morning  and  two  or  three  hours  before  they  go  to  roost  at  night. 
The  food  may  be  slack  in  the  morning,  so  that  they  will  go  to  the  range  with 
good  appetites,  and  fuller  at  night.  They  should  be  put  upon  a  regular 
course  of  fattening  food  as  early  as  the  middle  of  October,  when  you  propose 
to  kill  the  best  birds  at  Thanksgiving.  The  younger  and  lighter  birds  should 
be  reserved  for  the  Christmas  and  New  Year's  markets.  They  continue 
growing  quite  rapidly  until  midwinter,  and  you  will  be  paid  for  the  longer 
feeding.  There  is  nothing  better  for  fattening  than  old  corn,  fed  partly  in 
the  kernel  and  partly  in  cooked  meal  mashed  up  with  boiled  potatoes.  Feed 
three  times  a  day,  giving  the  warm  meal  in  the  morning,  and  feeding  in 
troughs  with  plenty  of  room,  so  that  all  the  flock  may  have  a  chance.  North- 
ern corn  has  more  oil  in  it  than  Southern,  and  is  worth  more  for  turkey  food. 
Use  milk  in  fattening  if  you  keep  a  dairy  farm.  Feed  only  so  much  as  they 
will  eat  up  clean.  Cultivate  the  acquaintance  of  your  turkeys  as  you  feed 
them.  No  more  charming  sight  greets  your  vision  in  the  whole  circle  of  a. 
year  than  a  large  flock  of  bronze  turkeys  coming  at  call  from  their  roosts  on 
a  frosty  November  morning.  New  corn  is  apt  to  make  the  bowels  loose,  and 
this  should  be  guarded  against.  There  is  usually  green  food  enough  in  the 
fields  to  meet  their  wants  in  the  fall,  and  cabbage  and  turnips  need  not  be 
added  until  winter  sets  in.  If  the  bowels  get  loose  give  them  scalded  milk, 
which  will  generally  correct  the  evil.  Well-fattened  and  well-dressed  tur- 
keys will  bring  two  or  three  cents  a  pound  more  than  smaller  birds.  It  will 
not  only  be  better  for  the  purse,  hut  for  your  manhood,  to  send  nothing  but 
finished  products  to  the  market. 

Preserving  Eggs. — Several  Practiced  Methods. — Several  ways  of 
preserving  eggs  are  practiced.  The  object  is  to  prevent  evaporation  from 
the  egg.  Cutting  off  the  air  from  the  contents  of  the  egg  preserves  them 
longer  than  with  any  other  treatment.  An  egg  which  has  lain  in  bran  even 
for  a  few  days  will  smell  and  taste  musty.  Packed  in  lime  eggs  will  be 
stained.  Covered  with  a  coat  of  spirit  varnish  eggs  have  kept  so  perfectly 
that  after  the  lapse  of  two  years  chickens  were  hatched  from  them.  A  good 
egg  will  sink  in  a  body  of  water;  if  stale,  a  body  of  air  inside  the  shell  will 
frequently  cause  it  to  float.  When  boiled,  a  fresh  egg  will  adhere  to  the 
shell,  which  will  have  a  rough  exterior;  if  stale,  the  outside  will  be  smooth 
and  glassy. 

Looking  through  a  paper  tube  directed  toward  the  light,  an  egg  held  to 
the  end  of  the  tube  will  appear  translucent  if  fresh;  but  if  stale  it  will  be 
dark — almost  opaque. 

Spirit  varnish  for  preserving  eggs  is  made  by  dissolving  gum  shellac  ia 
enough  alcohol  to  make  a  thin  varnish.  Coat  each  egg  with  this  and  pack, 
little  end  down,  so  that  they  cannot  move,  in  bran,  sawdust,  or  sand;  the 
sand  is  best.  Whatever  is  used  for  packing  sbould  be  clean  and  dry.  For 
preserving  in  lime,  a  pickle  is  made  of  the  best  stone  lime,  fine,  clean  salt 
and  water  enough  to  make  a  strong  brine,  usually  sixty  or  sixty-five  gallons 
of  water,  si*  or  eight  quarts  of  salt,  and  a  bushel  of  limo  are  used.  The 
lime  should  be  slacked  with  a  portion  of  the  water,  the  salt  and  the  re- 


^  TBS  POVLTRY    YARD. 

mainder  of  the  water  is  added.  Stir  at  intervals,  and  when  the  pickle  i8 
cold  and  the  sediment  has  settled,  dip  or  draw  the  liquid  off  into  the  cask  in 
which  the  eggs  are  to  be  preserved.  When  only  a  few  eggs  are  to  be  pickled 
a  stone  jar  will  answer. 

At  the  Birmingham  Poultry  Show,  England,  prizes  were  offered  for  the 
best  dozen  preserved  eggs  that  had  been  kept  two  months.  The  eggs  were 
tested  by  breaking  one  of  each  set  competing  for  the  prize  into  a  clean  saucer, 
also  by  boiling  one  of  each  lot. 

The  eggs  that  had  been  preserved  in  lime-water,  it  was  found  on  breaking 
them,  presented  cloudy  whites.  Eggs  preserved  by  rubbing  over  with  bees- 
wax and  oil  showed  thin,  wateiy  whites. 

Eggs  that  stood  best  the  test  of  boiling  and  which  gained  the  first  prize 
had  been  simply  packed  in  common  salt.  These  had  lost  little,  if  any,  by 
evaporation,  had  good,  consistent  albumen,  and  were  pleasant  to  the  taste. 
The  exhibit  which  took  the  second  prize  was  served  as  follows:  Melt  one 
part  of  white  wax  to  two  parts  of  spermaceti,  boil  and  mix  thoroughly;  or 
two  parts  clarified  suet  to  one  of  wax  and  two  of  spermaceti.  Take  new-laid 
eggs,  rub  with  antiseptic  salt  and  fine  rice  starch.  "Wrap  each  egg  in  fine 
tisBue  paper,  putting  the  broad  end  downward;  screw  the  paper  tightly  at 
the  top,  leaving  an  inch  to  hold  it  by.  Dip  each  egg  rapidly  into  the  fat 
heated  to  100  degrees.  Withdraw  and  leave  to  cool.  Pack  broad  end  down- 
ward in  dry,  white  sand  or  sawdust.  The  judges  were  inclined  to  believe 
that  had  the  trial  been  for  a  longer  period  than  two  months,  this  latter 
method  would  perhaps  have  proven  the  better  of  the  two.  The  eggs  were 
excellent,  and  on  stripping  off  the  waxed  paper  the  shells  presented  the  clean, 
fresh  appearance  of  newly  laid  eggs. 

The  following  is  a  recipe  for  packing  in  salt:  Cover  the  bottom  of  a  keg, 
cask,  jar,  hogshead,  or  whatever  you  choose  to  pack  in,  with  a  layer  of  fine 
salt  two  inches  deep;  upon  this  place  the  eggs,  small  end  down,  and  far 
enough  apart  so  that  they  will  not  touch  each  other  or  the  sides  of  the  re-> 
ceptacle;  then  put  on  another  two  inch  layer  of  salt,  then  another  layer  of 
eggs,  and  so  on  until  the  package  is  full.  This  is  the  method  that  we  used, 
and  is  on  the  whole  the  best  method  for  housekeepers  and  for  those  who 
have  only  a  small  number  to  pack  for  market.  The  salt  can  be  used  over 
and  over  again. 

The  following  recipe  is  also  given  for  keeping  eggs:  Put  them  in  an  opem 
work  basket  or  colander  and  immerse  them  for  a  moment  in  boiling  water; 
let  them  stay  just  long  enough  to  form  a  film  on  the  inside  of  the  shell;  this 
excludes  the  air.  Then  place  them  in  some  convenient  vessel,  small  end 
down,  and  set  them  in  the  coolest  part  of  the  cellar,  where  they  will  keep 
till  wanted  for  use. 

Cheap  Poultry  Houses. — The  following  directions  for  building  cheap 
poultry  houses  are  clipped  from  W.  H.  Todd's  descriptive  catalogue: 

We  find  the  best  and  most  successful  plan  to  manage  and  make  fowls  pay 
is  to  scatter  them  over  a  large  range  in  fields  and  orchards.  For  this  pur- 
pose cheap,  convenient,  and  comfortable  houses  are  best.  My  plan  is  to 
build  16  feet  long  and  8  feet  wide,  7  1-2  front  (facing  south),  and  4  1-2  back, 
boarded  upright  and  battened,  with  a  shed  roof,  shingled.  Sills  are  2x4 
inch-plank  halved  together.  Plates,  same  size.  Bafters,  2x2.  Lay  the  sills 
on  sleepers,  and  on  these  lay  a  tight  floor,  which  cover  with  dry  earth  4  to  0 
inches  deep,  removing  and  renewing  twice  a  year.  This  keeps  fowls  dry, 
warm  and  healthy.    Place  an  entrance  door  near  one  end.  on  the  3:ant*  and 


THE   FARM.  fU 

at  least  two  windows  of  six  8x10  lights.  Partition  across  the  middle,  -with  a 
door.  Fix  ventilators  at  the  highest  point  in  each  end,  sheathed  to  exclude 
storm  and  wind.  Erect  roosts  20  inches  high,  for  twenty  fowls,  with  a  mova- 
ble nest  or  two,  and  a  box,  partly  filled  with  dust  and  ashes,  and  you  are 
ready  for  "  business."  Forty  large  fowls  can  be  accommodated  and  thrive 
well.  Since  the  house  is  double  we  are  in  shape  for  running  two  breeding 
yards.  Fence  can  be  built  cheaply  with  lath  nailed  upright  to  two  1-inch-thicic 
pieces,  the  lower  one  8  or  10  inches  wide,  and  the  upper  about  2,  30  inches 
apart;  the  lath  may  be  3  inches  apart,  and  a  short  piece  16  inches  long, 
tacked  to  the  bottom  board,  and  to  a  light  strip  running  lengthwise  the 
panel.  It  is  best  to  make  this  fence  in  panels  about  12  feet  long.  Set  a  post 
where  they  come  together,  and  pass  a  wire  around  panels  and  post,  fasten, 
and  you  have  light,  cheap,  strong  fences.  The  house  can  be  made  warmer 
if  necessary  by  lining  with  tar-board  sheathing. 

An  Inexpensive  Chicken  Coop. — A  correspondent  writes  as  follows: 
"  Having  made  a  good  discovery,  I  am  desirous  of  giving  it  to  the  people. 
Being  engaged  in  raising  chickens  for  profit,  it  was  necessary  to  make  cheap 
coops  to  keep  them  in  for  a  few  weeks.    I  take  an  old  barrel  and  tack  every . 

hoop  on  each  side  of  a  seam 
between  the  staves  with  an 
inch  wrought  nail;  after 
clinching  the  nail,  I  saw  the 
hoops  off  on  the  seam.  Then 
I  spread  the  barrel  open,  as 
shown  in  the  illustration,  by 
cutting  a  board  about  twenty 
inches  long  for  the  back  of 

AN  INEXPENSIVE  CHICKEN  COOP.  ^     ^  ^     ^Q     ^^ 

pieces  to  tack  laths  on  for  the  front  part.  I  have  the  upper  section  of  the 
back  fastened  with  leather  hinges,  so  that  I  can  open  it  at  pleasure.  Every- 
body has  old  barrels  which  are  almost  valueless,  and  the  trouble  and  ex- 
pense of  making  a  coop  of  this  description  is  so  small  that  it  is  not  worth 
mentioning,  while  to  buy  the  material  and  make  a  coop  of  the  same  size,  it 
would  cost  about  one  dollar." 

Chicken  Cholera._A  New  Jersey  correspondent  gives  this  remedy: 
Take  of  pulverized  copperas,  sulphur,  alum,  cayenne  pepper  and  rosin,  of 
each  equal  parts,  and  mix  one  teaspoonful  in  four  quarts  of  meal.  Give 
three  days  in  succession,  then  once  a  week  as  a  preventive.  I  have  seen  it 
used  successfully.  It  will  not  cure  those  which  have  it,  but  will  prevent 
spreading  of  the  disease.  For  a  disinfectant,  use  crude  carbolic  acid— one 
tablespoonful  in  one  gallon  of  water.  Sprinkle  the  hen  house  often,  say 
about  twice  a  week. 

Another  correspondent  says:  I  used  a  strong  tea  made  of  white  oak  bark, 
wdiich  I  used  in  the  drinking  water  as  a  preventive.  When  a  fowl  was  taken 
sick  I  used  it  pure,  giving  several  teaspoonfuls  at  a  time,  four  or  five  times 
a  day.  I  have  taken  fowls  so  far  gone  that  they  were  past  eating  or  dskiking, 
and  cured  them  in  a  few  days  with  this  simple  remedy.  As  a  disinfectant  I 
use  crude  carbolic  acid,  pouring  it  on  a  board  in  the  chicken  house  and  on 
the  perches,  eoops,  etc.,  or  anywhere  that  the  fowls  frequent.  If  you  wile 
try  this  plan  for  awhile,  removing  all  infected  fowls  from  the  flock,  and  keep 
the  surroundings  clean,  I  think  you  will  soon  get  rid  of  the.  disease. 


%  THIS    POULTRY    YARD. 

The  following  prescription  we  find  in  the  Southern  Cultivator,  and  ii  is 
said  to  be  very  efficacious  in  chicken  cholera:  Glycerine  and  water,  each  a 
half  ounce;  carbolic  acid,  ten  drops.  When  the  first  symptoms  of  the  dis- 
ease are  apparent,  give  five  drops,  and  repeat  at  intervals  of  twelve  hours. 
Usually  the  second  dose  effects  a  cure.  A  neighbor  informed  me  that  cholera 
was  very  destructive  among  his  poultry,  and  at  my  suggestion  he  tried  the 
foregoing  recipe.  He  reports  that  the  progress  of  the  disease  was  promptly 
arrested,  and  in  almost  every  case  a  cure  was  accomplished. 

Infertile  Eggs. — There  are  many  reasons  why  eggs  hatch  so  poorly, 
when  from  pure  bred  stock,  one  of  the  greatest  being  want  of  stamina  in  the 
flock  from  which  the  eggs  came,  caused  by  being  kept  too  closely  confined. 
As  a  rule  it  is  best  to  procure  eggs  for  hatching  from  fowls  which  have  free 
range,  which  is  a  great  promoter  of  heaithfulness,  though  there  is  no  reason 
why  eggs  should  not  hatch  well  when  from  fowls  in  confinement,  if  those 
fowls  are  given  good  care,  plenty  of  food,  and  have  good  sized  yards  to  rua 
in.  Want  of  fertility  may  be  due 
to  running  too  many  hens  to  a 
cock;  about  ten  hens  of  the  Asia- 
tics (Brahmas  and  Cochins),  and 
from  ten  to  fifteen  of  the  laying 
breeds  (Leghorns,  Hamburgs, 
etc.)  to  a  cock  being  about  the 
right  number  to  secure  good  re- 
sults, other  things  being  equal. 

A  Cheap  Chicken  Foun- 
tain—Take an  emptied  tomato 
can,  bend  in  the  ragged  edges 
where  it  has  been  opened,  make 
a  hole  in  the  side  one  quarter  of 
an  inch  from  the  edge,  fill  it 
with  water,  put  a  saucer  on  it, 
and  quickly  invert  both.  The 
water  will  then  stand  in  the  saucer  constantly  at  the  height  of  the  hole. 
Chickens  can  drink,  but  cannot  get  in  the  water,  which  remains  clean. 

Chicken  I.ice — The  first  signs  of  lice  are  with  the  early  setting  hens. 
From  their  nests  soon  a  whole  house  will  be  overrun  with  the  pest.  Chicks 
show  the  presence  of  lice  very  quickly,  and  lice  are  certain  death  to  them 
if  they  are  not  protected.  Have  all  nests  movable,  and  change  the  contents 
frequently.  With  sitting  hen's  nests  be  sure  to  have  the  nest  clean  and  the 
box  and  surroundings  whitewashed  before  she  is  placed.  Whitewash  and  the 
dust  box  are  the  surest  preventives  of  lice.  Put  two  or  three  coats  of  white- 
wash on  every  interior  spot  in  the  building;  the  lice  harbor  in  the  crevices 
of  the  rough  sidings,  and  on  the  under  side  of  the  perches.  Let  the  fowl 
house  have  a  dust  box.  Mix  hot  ashes  with  the  dust  occasionally  to  dry  it. 
Do  all  this  early  in  the  year,  before  spring  laying  and  sitting.  Kerosene  and 
lard  when  applied  is  a  sure  cure,  but  they  are  too  often  dangerous  in  their 
effects.  A  little  castor  oil  on  the  head  and  under  the  wings  of  sitting  hens 
is  very  effective.  Don't  keep  a  brood  hen  in  a  little  coop  without  a  dust 
wallow.  If  you  want  your  fowls  to  be  free  from  lice  you  must  keep  their 
habitation  clean.  The  best  way  to  do  that  is  by  occasional  change  of  the 
nest  contents  and  a  thorough  whitewashing  of  &@  apartment. 


A  CHEAP  CHICKEN  FOUNTAIN. 


THE    FAIIM.  81 

Raising  Turkeys. — The  difficulty  of  raising  turkeys  is  a  serious  draw- 
tack  to  the  profits  of  the  business,  but  the  exercise  of  care  will  obviate  the 
difficulty.  At  first,  and  for  about  six  weeks,  turkey  chicks  are  very  delicate, 
bo  much  so  that  even  a  warm  shower  will  finish  them.  If  they  can  be  kept 
alive  for  about  two  months  they  begin  to  assume  a  more  robust  character, 
and  will  soon  become  the  very  hardiest  of  poultry.  The  chicks,  therefore, 
should  be  provided  with  shelter,  and  the  shed  which  furnishes  this  would 
he  all  the  better  if  it  had  a  wooden  floor.  The  best  feed  for  the  first  week  is 
hard  boiled  eggs,  mixed  with  minced  dandelion.  It  is  thought  the  dande- 
lion serves  to  keep  the  bowels  in  order.  At  all  events  the  young  birds  pre- 
fer dandelion  to  all  other  green  food.  At  the  end  of  the  first  week  add  gradu- 
ally to  the  boiled  eggs  bread  crumbs  and  barley  meal,  constantly  lessening 
the  amount  of  egg  until  at  the  end  of  three  weeks  it  may  be  entirely  discon- 
tinued. Now  give  boiled  potatoes  as  a  part  of  the  food,  and  a  small  portion 
of  some  small  grain  may  be  added,  in  fact  making  the  food  very  much  like 
that  of  other  poultry.  If  fed  in  this  way  and  kept  dry,  they  will  come  along 
all  right. 

How  to  Raise  Ducks. — A  writer  who  thinks  unlimited  water  a  bad  thing 
for  young  ducks,  recommends  the  following  treatment  for  them:  "Ducks 
are  easily  hatched,  and,  if  properly  managed,  they  are  easily  raised — much 
more  so  than  chickens  or  turkeys.  Probably  the  worst  thing  for  ducklinggr 
is  the  first  thing  they  usually  receive,  and  that  is  unlimited  range  and  water 
to  swim  in.  The  little  things  are,  in  a  measure,  nude,  and  should  be  kept  iit 
pens  with  dry  soil  floors  or  stone  pavements  that  can  be  washed  down  daily. 
No  kind  ot  poultry  will  succeed  on  bare  boards.  All  the  water  they  need  is 
"best  furnished  by  burying  an  old  pot  in  the  ground  and  laying  a  round  piece 
of  board  on  top  cf  the  water  with  room  for  the  ducks  to  stick  their  heads  in 
and  fish  out  the  corn  that  is  put  in  the  water.  This  amuses  them  and  does 
no  harm,  while,  if  allowed  to  go  off  to  ponds  or  streams,  they  are  very  liable 
to  fall  a  prey  to  vermin  in  some  shape,  or  to  get  their  bodies  wet  and  chilled 
from  remaining  too  long  in  the  water.  Their  pens  must  be  kept  clean  if  they 
are  expected  to  thrive. 

Gapes  in  Fowls. — The  parasite  that  causes  gapes  in  fowls  is  of  a  red 
color  and  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long.  The  remedies  are  numer- 
ous, but  chiefly  consist  in  removing  the  worms.  One  way  is  to  moisten  a 
feather  from  which  all  but  the  tip  of  the  web  has  been  stripped,  with  oil, 
salt  water,  or  a  weak  solution  of  carbolic  acid,  introduce  it  into  the  wind- 
pipe, twist  it  around  once  or  twice,  and  then  withdraw  it.  A  teaspoonful  of 
sulphur  mixed  with  a  quart  of  corn  meal  and  water,  and  fed  to  the  fowls 
morning  and  evening,  is  also  a  good  remedy. 

The  Poultry  TTo?-Zc?says:  As  soon  as  we  discover  any  symptoms  of  gapes 
among  our  chickens,  we  know  that  there  are  worms — very  small  red  worms 
— in  their  windpipes,  and  we  give  them  camphor  in  their  drinking  vessels 
strong  enough  to  make  quite  a  taste  of  the  camphor.  Then,  if  any  get  the 
disease  quite  badly  before  we  discover  it,  we  force  a  pill  of  gum  camphor 
down  the  throat,  about  the  size  of  a  small  pea,  and  the  fumes  of  that  dose 
will  kill  the  worms.  No  kind  of  worms  can  five  in  camphor;  hence,  camphor 
must  be  a  powerful  vermifuge. 

A  Connecticut  poultry  raiser  writes:  *  Perhaps  some  who  raise  fowls  will 
be  interested  in  my  experiment  tried  last  season  on  a  chicken  with  the  gapes. 
I  gave  it  about  a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  kerosene,  and  as  it  seemed  bet- 


&  TEE   POULTRY    TmSB. 

ter  for  a  day  or  two,  I  repeated  the  dose,  giving  nearly  one  half  a  teaspoon. 
ful  for  the  second  time.  The  chicken  was  about  the  size  of  a  robin  at  th6 
time,  but  is  now  full-grown,  weighing  several  pounds.  I  cured  chickens 
affected  with  a  disease  we  thought  cholera,  by  giving  powdered  alum  dis- 
solved in  water." 

Eggs— How  Increased— If  an  increase  of  eggs  be  desired  in  the  poul- 
try yard,  before  large  sums  are  expended  in  the  purchase  of  everlasting  lay- 
ers, we  would  recommend  the  system  of  keeping  no  hens  after  the  first,  or  at 
most,  after  the  second  year.  Early  pullets  give  the  increase,  and  the  only 
wonder  is  that  people  persist,  as  they  do,  in  keeping  up  a  stock  of  old  hens, 
which  lay  one  day  and  stop  the  next.  In  some  parts  of  Europe  it  is  the  in- 
variable rule  to  keep  the  pullets  only  one  year.  Feeding  will  do  a  great 
deal— a  surprising  work  indeed— in  the  production  of  eggs,  but  not  when  old 
hens  are  concerned;  they  may  put  on  fat,  but  they  cannot  put  down  eggs. 
Their  tale  is  told,  their  work  is  done;  nothing  remains  to  be  done  with  them 
but  to  give  them  a  smell  of  the  kitchen  fire,  and  the  sooner  they  get  that  the 
better. 

Late  Chickens. — Late  chicks  may  be  more  profitable  than  early  ones. 
Chickens  from  eggs  set  in  August  and  September  may  be  kept  warm  in  a 
tight,  glazed  house,  and  fed  so  that  they  will  grow  continually  through  the 
winter,  and  if  they  come  later  all  the  better,  if  they  are  well  kept  and  fed. 
The  early  broods  will,  be  salable  at  good  prices,  when  the  market  is  bare  of 
chickens,  and  the  later  ones  will  furnish  spring  chickens  long  before  the 
usual  supply  comes  to  hand.  Spring  chickens  hatched  in  fall,  or  even  in 
winter,  are  rar«,  but  not  entirely  unknown  to  a  few  persons  who  made  the 
discovery  that  with  good  feed,  warm  quarters,  a  warm  mess  at  least  once  a 
day,  warm  drink  and  cleanliness,  there  is  no  difficulty  at  all  about  raising 
them,  and  at  a  good  profit. 

Cure  for  Scaly  Legs  in  Fowl — A  stare  cure  of  scaly  legs  in  fowl  is 
effected  thus-  Insert  a  feather  in  the  spout  of  a  coal  oil  can  so  that  too  large 
a  stream  will  not  run  out;  get  some  one  to  hold  tne  fowl  by  the  wings;  take 
hold  of  a  toe  of  one  foot  at  a  time,  and  pour  a  fine  stream  from  the  hock 
joint  to  the  end  of  each  toe,  taking  care  that  all  parts  of  the  foot  are  wet  with 
it.  One  application  a  year  is  enough,  if  done  at  all,  and  at  the  time  when 
they  need  it,  say  during  January  or  FeLnury.  The  scaly  appearance  is 
caused  by  an  insect,  which  the  oil  most  effectually  kills,  and  leaves  the  legs 
clear  and  bright  looking.  This  will  answer  even  when  the  legs  are  twice 
their  natural  size,  which  is  frequently  the  case  when  neglected. 

Roup—Fowls  exposed  to  dampness  in  severe  weather  are  apt  to  take 
cold,  which  often  culminates  in  roup.  The  writer  has  cured  this  disease  by 
injecting  kerosene  into  the  nostrils  by  the  means  of  a  bulb  syringe,  and  then 
using  it  to  gargle  the  throat.  The  latter  is  effected  by  holding  the  throat 
close  enough  to  prevent  swallowing,  and,  after  the  gargling,  pouring  the 
liquid  out  on  to  the  ground.  Eepeat  this  once  the  next  day;  then  feed  with 
boiled  rice  and  scalded  milk,  keeping  water  away  for  a  few  days. 

To  Get  Rid  of  Skunks — To  rid  your  poultry  yard  of  skunks,  purchase 
a  few  grains  of  strychnine,  roll  it  up  in  a  ball  of  lard,  and  then  throw  it  at 
night  outside  the  yard,  where  the  animals'  tracks  are  seen.  As  they  are 
Sery  tO»<|  of  ia*4,  they  will  swallow  it  quickly,  and  in  the  morning  you  will 


TEE   FARM  88 

find  your  enemy  dead.    But  you  must  be  careftil  to  shut  up  the  dogs  and 

3ats,  as  they  are  equally  fond  of  lard.  It  is  the  easiest  way  to  kill  any  ver- 
min, as  they  die  very  soon.  Skunks  will  kill  and  eat  full-grown  ducks  and 
hens,  and  suck  their  eggs,  whenever  they  can  gain  entrance  into  the  poultry- 
house. 

Road-dust  for  tlie  Hennery. — Collect  a  few  barrels  of  dry  earth,  road- 
.dust,  fine  dry  dirt  in  the  cornfield  or  potato  patch,  or  anywhere  that  is  most 
convenient.  This  is  a  handy  thing  to  have  in  the  fall  and  winter  for  sprink- 
ling under  the  roosts  and  on  the  floor  of  the  poultry-house.  It  absorbs  am- 
monia, keeps  down  smells,  and  keeps  things  ship-shape.  It  will  pay  to  at- 
tend to  this  when  it  can  be  so  easily  done.  It  costs  but  little,  and  is  a  real 
advantage. 

The  Langshans. — There  is  a  prominent  feature  of  the  Langshans  not 
possessed  by  the  Black  Cochins,  which  is  activity.  They  come  in  as  an  ex- 
tra desirable  breed,  between  the  leghorns  and  the  sitters,  for  they  commence 
to  lay  early,  and  when  about  to  enter  upon  incubation  are  easily  broken. 
They  are  large  in  size,  fine-boned,  hardy,  and  grow  rapidly.  They  are  the 
strongest  rivals  for  public  favor  that  the  Plymouth  Rocks  have,  and  are  just 
as  certain  to  go  to  the  front  as  if  they  had  been  known  for  centuries.  Their 
qualities  as  a  farmer's  fowl  are  good,  and  they  will  entirely  supersede  many 
other  breeds  in  time. 

Poultry  Manure — Collect  the  droppings  as  often  as  possible,  and  com- 
post them  with  dry  dirt.  If  dry  dirt  is  inconvenient  on  account  of  the  earth 
being  frozen,  use  good  ground  land  plaster  instead.  The  mixture  of  ground 
plaster  and  poultry  droppings  is  better  than  either  alone,  and  the  ammonia 
is  thereby  saved.  A  good  dusting  of  plaster  over  and  under  the  roosts,  and 
plentifully  scattered  all  over  the  floor  of  the  poultry  house,  conduces  to  the 
health  of  fowls  and  destroys  foul  odors. 

How  Wests  Sfooulc'i  be  IWade.— Eggs  hatch  much  better  if  the  nests  are 
made  by  placing  a  cu*  tur£  rad  shovel  of  mold,  sand  or  ashes  in  the  box  or 
basket,  and  on  this  a  little  she  :t  jtraw,  than  if  straw  only  is  used.  In  this 
way  a  convenient  hollow  x  obtained  that  prevents  the  eggs  rolling  out  fronc 
under  the  setting  hen.  In  cad  weather  the  eggs  are  thus  kept  of  a  much 
more  equable  temperature  than  in  nests  made  simply  of  loose  straw. 

To  Fatten  Goese0-_To  fatten  geese,  an  experienced  practitioner  says: 
Put  up  two  or  three  lr  a  darkened  room  and  give  each  bird  one  pound  of 
oats  daily,  thrown  on  a  pan  of  water.  In  fourteen  days  they  will  be  found 
almost  too  fat.  Never  shut  up  a  single  bird,  as  geese  are  sociable  and  will 
pine  away  if  left  alone. 

Wests  of  Sawdust„__To  prevent  hens  from  Scratching  their  nests  make 
the  nests  of  sawdust.  Bo  not  have  the  boxes  too  large— only  long  enough 
for  two  nests,  with  a  partition.  Place  a  little  hay  on  the  sawdust  until  the 
hens  get  accustomed  to  it;  also  sulphur,  to  prevent  vermin. 

Hens  Eating  Eggs — If  hens  get  into  the  habit  of  eating  eggs,  take 
•nough  bran  and  corn  meal  of  equal  parts  for  one  feeding,  and  enough  vine- 
gar warme£  to  make  the  meal  wet  enough  for  the  hens  to  eat.  Mix  together 
*nd  feelHFto  the  hens. 


3*  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 

How  tc  Fail. — There  are  many  persons  who  have  started  in  poultry 
raising,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first,  second  or  third  year  become  tired  of  the 
business,  and  quit  it  in  disgust.  This  has  been  the  case  more  particularly 
with  men  who  undertook  to  breed  fine  pure-bred  stock  for  sale,  with  the 
bope  of  immediately  making  large  sums  of  money.  We  often  hear  some 
one  state  that  he  would  not  have  a  Brahma,  a  Leghorn,  or  a  Game  fowl 
about  his  yards,  but  we  as  often  learn  that  at  some  period  in  said  individ- 
ual's life,  through  his  own  ignorance  or  want  of  energy  and  ordinary  ambi- 
tion, he  has  not  only  defrauded  himself  out  of  money,  but  has  made  his 
fowls  the  instruments  with  which  he  has  accomplished  the  work.  Himself 
entirely  at  fault,  yet  he  throws  the  blame  upon  the  fowls.  They  eat  too 
much;  they  ruined  his  gardens;  they  would  freeze  their  own  combs  and 
feet;  they  would  die  on  their  nests;  they  would  not  lay;  in  fact,  they  were  the 
poorest  breed  of  fowls  to  be  found  in  the  country. 

In  every  such  case  the  whole  trouble  is  in  the  make-up  of  the  individual 
and  not  with  the  fowls,  and  if  any  reader  of  this  article  has  been  a  loser  in 
the  poultry  business,  whether  in  raising  fowls  for  market,  or  for  breeding  and 
exhibition  stock,  and  will  state  his  case,  we  can  refer  him  to  men  in  the 
same  business  who  are  to-day  making  money  out  of  the  same  breed  of  fowls. 

We  have  for  the  last  fifteen  years  given  this  matter  some  attention  in 
order  to  decide  in  our  minds  what  are  the  stumbling  blocks  over  which  these 
men  fall,  and  we  here  name  a  few  of  them  and  give  some  hints  which  will 
aid  the  beginner  in  commencing  and  carrying  on  the  business  until  he  has 
gained  a  firm  footing.  The  first  step  this  man  who  fails  takes  when  he  has 
decided  to  launch  out  in  the  poultry  business  is  to  purchase  eggs  from  pure- 
bred fowls,  or  the  fowls  themselves,  of  the  variety  he  most  admires,  feeling 
confident  that  with  and  from  these,  his  start  in  the  business  will  be  well  es- 
tablished, and  that  at  the  end  of  the  first,  or  of  the  commencement  of  the 
second  season,  he  will  stand  on  the  top-most  round  of  the  ladder,  side  by  side 
with  men  who  have  been  breeding  his  favorite  fowls  for  years  and  are  known 
thb  world  over,  and  that  all  his  extra  fowls  and  eggs  will  find  a  ready  market 
nt  enormous  prices. 

He  immediately  notifies  a  score  of  breeders  that  he  is  now  ready  for  bus- 
iness and  will  be  pleased  to  receive  by  return  mail  their  very  lowest,  rock- 
bottom  cash  prices,  for  their  very  best  pure-bred  stock  and  eggs  from  same. 
The  circulars  and  price-lists  are  received,  and  without  having  posted  him- 
self as  to  who  has  the  best  fowls  of  the  breed  he  desires  to  purchase,  he 
orders  fowls  or  eggs  from  the  man  who  offers  the  greatest  inducements  in 
quantity.  With  him  quantity  is  the  thing,  not  quality,  for  his  figures  show 
that  if  a  trio  will  net  him  $50  per  year,  double  the  number  of  fowls,  and  he 
will  have  $100  net  profit  for  the  first  season's  labor.  Then,  to  his  mind, 
the  cheap  art,  possibly  as  good  as  the  dear,  and  if  they  are  not,  who  can  tell 
the  difference  from  the  eggs? 

The  fowls  are  received,  pronounced  good  by  the  neighbors,  placed  in  the 
"  old  hen-house  "  which  has  not  been  cleaned  out  for  years,  receive  plenty 
of  food  and  good  care,  until  they  become  an  old  story,  and  from  that  hour 
are  neglected.  Hens  are  set,  but  the  lice  drive  them  from  their  nests,  or, 
in  case  the  hens  are  ot  a  determined,  desperate  disposition,  the  lice  will  sap 
the  last  drop  of  life  blood,  and  leave  bone,  muscle  and  feathers  on  the  nest, 
and  a  query  in  our  young  fancier's  mind,  why  pure-bred  fowls  are  so  deli- 
cate, so  hard  to  raise,  and  die  so  mysteriously.  Mention  lice  to  him  and  he 
is  thunderstruck.  Be  never  saw  a  louse  on  one  of  his  hens.  State  the  fact 
that  lice  killed  hit*  favorite  hen,  and  he  will  not  only  denv  it  in  the  strongest 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  35 

terms,  but  you  will  see  that  he  already  weakens  in  his  good  opinion  of  his 

favorite  stock. 

His  fowls,  run  down  from  attacks  of  lice,  out  of  order  from  a  steady  diet 
of  whole  corn,  are  attacked  with  roup,  and  finally  set  at  liberty  to  mingle 
with  (he  neighbors'  common  stock.  A  few  chicks  are  hatched,  and  those 
which  survive  the  ravages  of  cats,  rats,  and  lice,  contract  disease  from  ex- 
posure to  storms,  want  of  shelter,  and  shade,  and  a  diet  of  sloppy  and  sour 
feed,  as  often  thrown  upon  the  filthy  ground  as  otherwise.  Thus  they  are 
dwarfed  in  size,  have  delicate  constitutions,  and  become,  in  fact,  a  flock,  the 
condition  and  appearance  of  which  would  dishearten  any  man. 

With  this  stock  for  a  foundation,  our  fancier  advertises  eggs  from  prftee- 
winning  stock,  and  sells  only  to  receive  condemnation  from  the  buyer  for 
the  motley  lot  of  chicks  raised  from  the  eggs.  Unknown  to  our  young 
fancier,  his  fowls  had  been  crossed  with  his  neighbors'  barnyard  fowls,  and 
his  own  chicks  are  now  of  all  colors,  and  he  remembers  the  breeder  of  whom 
he  made  his  purchase  as  a  knave,  the  fowls  as  a  worthless  breed,  and  the 
poultry  business  as  a  failure,  little  thinking  that  there  is  no  one  to  blame 
but  himself,  and  that  by  proper  management,  a  little  thought  and  care  on 
his  part,  the  losses  could  have  been  turned  to  profit.— Poultry  World. 

How  to  Start  and  Stock  a  Hennery. — The  subject  of  poultry  keep- 
ing, writes  Dr.  A.  M.  Dickie,  is  attracting  attention  no-w  from  parties  who 
have  not  hitherto  given  it  any  notice.  Not  knowing  anything  about  it  prac- 
tically, they  ask  for  advice  and  information  respecting  methods  of  pro- 
cedure. To  answer  such  inquiries  privately  would  require  too  much  time 
and  work,  and  we  take  advantage  of  the  opportunity  presented  here  to 
discuss  the  general  principles  underlying  the  subject  in  a  public  way. 

Poultry  is  kept  for  two  ends :  first,  to  supply  eggs,  and  second  to  furnish 
flesh  for  food.  In  some  sections  one  of  these  ends  is  sought,  and  in  others 
the  different  one,  while  occasionally  a  man  may  be  found  who  wishes  to 
combine  them  both.  It  will  be  well  then  for  a  person  to  determine  what  he 
wants  to  produce  in  his  poultry  yards.  If  he  wants  eggs  mainly  he  will 
select  a  different  breed  or  breeds  than  would  be  chosen  to  produce  market 
poultry. 

A  person  not  knowing  the  habits  or  characteristics  of  the  different  breeds 
or  varieties  may  easily  make  a  mistake  in  selecting  the  proper  one  for  his 
purpose.  Since  the  furore  in  poultry  fancying  and  poultry  journalizing  has 
run  so  high,  admirers  of  particular  varieties  have  been  so  enthusiastic  in 
praise  of  their  favorites  that  every  good  quality  which  could  be  enumerated 
has  been  claimed  for  their  specialty.  The  best  layers,  the  smallest  eaters, 
the  quietest,  the  best  foragers,  the  handsomest,  the  most  profitable,  in 
every  way,  the  most  desirable  fowl,  etc.,  etc.,  is  claimed  respectively  by 
breeders  of  nearly  all  the  different  kinds  of  fowls. 

Most  every  one  should  know — but  every  one  don't— that  no  one  breed 
can  excel  in  all  these  characteristics  applied  to  all  breeds.  Sorn*  will  lay 
more  eggs  in  a  given  time,  say  a  year,  than  others;  some  will  make  more 
meat  than  others;  some  will  sit  better  than  others;  some  are  better  mothers 
than  others;  some  are  hardier  than  others;  some  will  eat  more  than  others; 
and  so  we  might  go  on  to  the  end  of  the  list  of  qualities,  because  no  one 
breed  is  best  for  all  purposes.  But  if  a  man  knows  what  he  wants  to  pro- 
duce in  his  poultry  yards,  his  liability  to  make  a  selection  is  much  reduced, 
unless  he  makes  the  mistake  at  the  beginning— of  wanting  to  secure  all  the 
ends  at  once  for  which  poultry  is  kept. 


36 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


Plymouth  Rock  Cock  "  Perfection  2d,"  Winner  of  First  and  Special  Prizes  at  New 
York,  February,  1SS6,  Bred  and  Owned  by  a.  C.  Hawkins.  Lancaster,  Mass. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  37 

Where  one  wishes  to  make  a  specialty  of  egg  production,  he  must  leave 
meat  production  to  be  pursued  by  somebody  else,  and  the  reverse.  The 
Jbest  layers  are  not  the  best  for  table  use,  and,  conversely,  the  best  for  table 
use  are  not  the  best  layers,  no  matter  who  says  so.  Most  people  under- 
stand that  the  best  milk  cow  will  not  make  the  best  beef  cow  at  the  same 
time;  and  that  the  best  brood  sow  will  not  be  best  for  pork.  The  same 
pxinciple  is  applicable  to  a  chicken.  The  juices,  fats,  salt,  aroma,  etc.,  that 
go  to  make  savory,  toothsome  beef  in  the  one  case  go  off  into  the  milk  pail, 
in  the  other  it  goes  into  the  egg  basket.  It  is  not  a  very  difficult  matter  to 
make  a  good  sandwich,  provided  one  has  the  material,  but  it  can't  be  made 
all  uf  meat,  or  bread,  or  butter,  though  meat,  bread,  and  butter  are  all 
necessary.  So  if  you  want  eggs  you  must  have  one  kind,  and  if  you  want 
meat  another  kind  of  chicken  is  necessary. 

Plymouth  Rocks. — Unquestionably  the  most  popular  fowl  with  the 
American  farmer  is  the  Plymouth  Kock.  They  have  teen  tested  for  the 
past  fifteen  years  with  all  the  leading  varieties,  and  have  been  found  to 
be  the  best  all  purpose  fowl.  At  eight  weeks  old  they  make  a  plump 
two  pound  broiler,  having  yellow  legs  and  skin.  The  pullets  commence 
laying  at  five  and  a  half  months  old,  and  are  very  prolific  layers  in  the 
winter. 

Mature  cocks  of  this  variety  weigh  ten  to  eleven  pounds;  hens,  eight  to 
nine  pounds.  This  breed  was  originated  some  twenty  years  ago  in  south- 
ern New  England,  and  they  have  increased  in  popularity  from  the  very  first, 
and  earned  their  good  reputation  on  their  practical  merit.  They  were  pro- 
duced by  crossing  the  Black  Java  and  American  Dominique,  taking  their 
color  from  the  latter  variety.  They  make  one  of  the  most  attractive  fowls 
on  the  lawn  and  in  the  poultry  yard.  Our  illustration  is  of  a  first  prize 
cock  bred  by  Mr.  A.  C.  Hawkins,  Lancaster,  Mass. 

Eggs  by  Weight. — It  is  annoying  to  the  breeders  of  blooded  and 
fine  fowls  to  find,  when  he  offers  for  sale  eggs  nearly  twice  as  large 
as  his  neighbor's,  that  they  bring  no  more  per  dozen  than  do  the  smaller 
ones.  Also,  the  consumer  is  often  vexed  to  find  that  he  must  pay 
the  same  price  to-day  for  a  dozen  eggs  weighing  a  pound  that  he 
yesterday  paid  for  a  dozen  weighing  a  pound  and  a  half.  Besides,  an 
egg  from  a  well-fed  fowl  is  heavier  and  richer  than  one  from  a  common 
fowl  that  is  only  half  fed,  so  that  weight  compared  to  size  is  an 
indication  of  richness.  Thus,  eggs  of  which  eight  will  weigh  a  pound, 
are  better  and  richer  than  those  of  apparently  the  same  size,  of 
which  ten  are  required  for  a  pound.  Of  course,  with  eggs  at 
four  or  five  cents  a  dozen  (and  hundreds  of  dozens  have  been  sold 
in  past  years  at  these  figures),  it  is  not  much  matter  as  to  the 
size;  but  when  the  price  ranges  from  twenty-five  to  fifty  cents  per 
dozen,  it  a  matter  worth  looking  after.  It  is  high  time  that  this 
old  style  of  selling  and  buying  eggs  were  discontinued.  It  is  a 
relic  of  the  past,  and  reminds  us  of  the  time  when  dressed  hogs 
gold  for  a  dollar  each  without  regard  to  size,  and  were  dull  sale 
at  that.  Insist  upon  it,  then,  you  who  raise  poultry  and  eggs  for 
market,  that  the  price  for  eggs  shall  be  so  much  per  pound,  and 
then  it  will  be  some  inducement  ;to  farmers  to  raise  a  better  class 
of  fowls,  and  all  will  get  what  is  their  just  dues. — American  Rural 
Home. 


38  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

Wyandottes— One  of  the  latest  varieties  of  pure  bred  fowls  to  attract 
the  attention  ol  the  fancier  and  farmer  is  the  Wyandotte.  It  was  originated 
some  twelve  years  ago  in  New  York  State,,  and  is  said  to  have  been  produced 
by  crossing  the  Silver  Spangled  Hamburg  cock  with  the  Dark  Brahma  hen. 
This  variety  has  become  very  popular  within  the  past  three  years  as  one  of 
the  mofat  practical  table  fowls. 


Wyandotte  Cock  "  Prince  Leon,"  Winner  of  First  and  Special  Prizes  at  New 
York  City,  1885  and  1886,  Bred  and  Owned  oy  A.  C.  Hawkins,  Lancas- 
ter, Mass. 

They  have  rich  yellow  skin  and  legs,  are  quick  to  mature,  very  plump 
in  body,  and  small  boned — all  qualities  which  commend  them  for  table 
use.  They  have  small  rose  combs,  and  stand  the  cold  weather  without 
freezing;  being  excellent  layers  in^winter,  producing  an  egg  of  brown  color. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  69 

One  of  the  most  extensive  breeders  of  this  variety  is  Mr.  A.  C.  Hawkins,  of 
Lancaster,  Mass.,  whose  fowls  have  taken  many  of  the  highest  prizes  at  the 
largest  exhibitions.  He  sends  large  quantities  of  eggs  for  hatching  pur- 
poses and  breeding  stock  to  all  parts  of  fhe  world.  Our  illustration  is  from 
one  of  his  New  York  prize  winners. 

Artificial  Incubation.— I  bad  the  pleasure  of  visiting  the  large  poub 
try  yards  of  James  Eankin,  Esq.,  at  South  Easton,  Mass.  Mr.  Rankin  is  a 
successful  and  practical  working  farmer;  he  keeps  a  herd  of  twenty  good 
grade  Jersey  cows  and  runs  a  milk  wagon  in  the  neighboring  villages, 
where  he  also  sells  a  large  amount  of  vegetables  in  their  season;  but  his 
chief  delight  and  also  the  chiet  source  of  his  profit  is  the  poultry.  Sixteen 
years  of  experimenting  with  hens  and  various  patterns  of  incubating 
machines  have  resulted  in  the  invention  and  perfection  of  a  very  satisfac- 
tory and  simple  patented  machine,  with  which  he  feels  reasonably  sure  of 
hatching  90  to  95  per  cent,  of  the  fertile  eggs.  The  difficulty,  however,  is 
not  over  when  the  chickens  or  ducklings  leave  the  shell;  at  first  he  puts 
them  under  hens  for  brooding  purposes,  but  soon  discovers  that  with  an 
artificial  brooder  he  could  rear  more  chickens  and  healthier  ones  than  with 
the  old  hen. 

The  advantages  of  the  use  of  incubators  over  sitting  hens  are  well  under- 
stood; they  can  be  made  to  work  early  in  the  winter  and  spring,  when 
brooding  hens  are  scarce,  they  can  be  relied  upon  to  turn  out  a  chicken  for 
almost  every  fertile  egg,  and  the  artificial  brooder  can  be  relied  upon  to 
grow  healthy  chicks  free  from  vermin.  The  essentials  for  success  in  this 
business  are  not  very  different  from  those  required  for  success  in  caring  for 
a  greenhouse  or  hot-bed.  One  must  give  his  attention  to  the  thing  and  not 
forget  it;  a  few  hours'  neglect  at  the  right  time  would  easily  spoil  a  month's 
work  and  many  dollars'  worth  of  eggs,  but  reasonable  care  and  attention, 
and  the  use  of  a  fair  amount  of  common  sense,  will  enable  any  intelligent 
person  to  acquire  the  needful  experience  to  insure  success. 

Mr.  Rankin  has  found  the  raising  ot  young  ducks  for  market  when  nine 
or  ten  weeks  old,  a  very  profitable  branch  of  the  poultry  business.  The 
young  ducks  are  hardier  and  more  easily  raised  than  chickens;  they  grow 
more  rapidly,  and  the  demand  for  them  at  good  prices  lasts  through  the 
entire  summer,  so  that  several  successful  broods  may  be  easily  marketed. 
Last  summer  he  raised  some  3,000  ducklings.  They  need  little  artificial 
heat  after  hatching,  and  grow  very  rapidly,  attaining  a  weight  of  ten  pounds 
per  pair  at  ten  weeks  old;  the  price  varies  from  thirty-five  cents  per  pound 
to  twenty  cents  or  less  in  the  fall. 

The  white  Pekin  duck  is  the  only  variety  used  by  Mr.  Rankin;  he  finds 
them  larger,  more  quiet  and  more  patient  in  confinement  than  other  varie- 
ties. The  laying  stock  consists  of  200  or  more  ducks  and  600  or  700  hens, 
all  raised  from  incubators  last  year,  and  they  are  as  vigorous  and  healthy 
a  flock  as  one  might  wish  to  see.  Mr.  Rankin  has  used  incubators  only  for 
hatching  his  stock  for  six  years  past.  For  heus  he  raises  the  Light  Brahmar, 
and  the  Plymouth  Rocks  only;  these  are  good  winter  layers  when  eggs  are 
wanted  both  for  market  and  for  incubation;  the  chicks  grow  rapidly  to  the 
size  needed  for  broilers.  In  June  he  sells  all  the  laying  stock  of  hens,  find- 
ing it  more  profitable  to  depend  upon  early  hatched  pullets  every  year  for 
winter  laying.  To  insure  fertility  in  the  eggs  in  winter,  care  must  be  given 
to  let  the  hens  run  out  and  take  exercise  whenever  the  weather  will  permit 
—shovelling  off  the  snow  in  front  of  the  houses  to  give  them  a  chance.    It 


40  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

is  important  also  to  give  them  a  variety  of  food  in  which  boiled  potatoes 
and  raw  cabbage  are  important  articles,  together  with  a  little  meat  or 
scraps. 

The  ranges  of  poultry  houses  are  of  simple  and  cheap  construction, 
being  about  nine  to  twelve  feet  wide,  and  some  of  them  200  feet  long;  they 
are  built  on  posts  with  no  floor,  studs  six  feet  high,  with  span  roof;  the 
south  side  furnished  with  windows  three  feet  wide  with  five  feet  spaces 
between  of  boarding,  which  is  hemlock  covered  with  tar  paper,  held  in 
place  by  laths  and  painted  over  with  tar — cheap  and  durable.  These  houses 
are  divided  by  lath  partitions  inside,  and  lathed  yards  in  front,  each  com- 
partment containing  about  twenty  or  twenty-five  pullets  and  two  cocks. 
The  proportion  of  ducks  is  about  five  to  one  drake. 

The  eggs  are  collected  two  or  three  times  a  day  in  cold  weather  to  pre- 
vent their  being  chilled,  and  removed  at  once  to  the  incubator  room,  which 
is  a  cellar  with  walls  five  feet  high  covered  by  a  double  boarded  roof  to 
insure  an  even  temperature. 

Here  four  incubators  are  in  operation,  each  able  to  hold  1,100  eggs,  and 
on  the  day  of  my  visit  two  of  them  were  hatching  their  brood  ol  ducklings. 
It  was  a  very  interesting  sight  to  see  the  callow  and  helpless  young  things 
breaking  their  shells  by  hundreds,  and  waddling  around  in  the  most  abject 
manner.  They  very  soon,  however,  became  lively  and  active,  and  when 
one  considers  that  they  will  come  to  market  in  May,  at  something  over  a 
dollar  apiece,  and  that  the  incubators  can  produce  another  crop  every 
month,  it  will  be  seen  that  it  will  not  require  a  great  deal  of  advertising  on 
Mr.  Rankin's  part  to  induce  a  good  many  others  to  copy  his  methods  and 
endeavor  to  gain  his  golden  rewards. 

In  fact  it  seems  to  me  quite  likely  that  the  danger  now  is  that  many 
young  Americans  with  their  accustomed  clash,  will  rush  into  this  business 
and  glut  the  market  with  young  ducks  and  chicken«.  The  business  has 
never,  until  quite  recently,  been  systematized  and  successfully  managed 
upon  a  large  scale.  The  limit  to  the  successful  extension  of  the  business 
now  seems  to  be  the  capital  and  business  tact  of  the  man  who  manages  it, 
rather  than  any  inherent  difficulty  in  the  business  itself. 

The  care  of  motherless  chickens  when  produced  by  the  thousand,  is  not 
so  laborious  as  one  would  imagine.  Mr.  Rankin  asserts  that  it  is  far  less 
to  care  for  them  without  the  hen's  help  than  with  it.  For  the  first  tbirty-six 
hours  after  hatching  they  require  only  to  be  kept  warm  in  the  vacant  space 
uxider  the  drawers  of  the  incubator;  they  are  then  removed  to  the  brooding 
machines  and  fed  on  hard-boiled  eggs,  using  such  as  have  been  taken  out 
of  the  incubator  as  not  being  fertile;  bread  crumbs,  dough  of  scalded  meal 
mixed  with  middlings  and  whole  wheat,  and  cracked  corn  as  they  grow 
larger.  A  very  essential  item  in  the  bill  of  fare  for  young  chicks  and  ducks 
is  some  kind  of  green  vegetable,  the  refuse  lettuce,  dandelions  or  cabbage 
leaves  of  the  market  gardener,  chopped  onions,  cabbages  and  other  vege- 
tables are  excellent,  and  a  little  meat  occasionally.  They  need  to  be  fed 
often,  four  or  five  times  a  day,  and  if  they  can  be  given  milk  to  drink  it  will 
help  along  their  growth  very  much.  Above  all  things  encourage  them  to 
run  out  in  the  sunshine  whenever  the  weather  will  permit;  if  the  snow 
covers  the  ground  shovel  it  away  so  as  to  give  them  a  chance  to  run,  which 
is  very  important.  After  April  1st,  the  brooding  can  be  best  done  in  the 
open  air  with  a  suitable  machine.  The  chicks  need  no  brooder  after  they 
are  five  or  six  weeks  old,  and  the  ducks  need  far  less  brooding  than  the 
chickens.—  W.  D.  Pliilbriclc,  in  N.  E.  Farmer, 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  41 

Profit  in  Poultry. — Says  James  Rankin  in  The  Homestead:  I  have 
sixteen  cows  in  my  barn;  my  neighbors  call  them  good  ones.  The  milk  is 
sold  in  a  neighboring  village  at  remunerative  prices.  It  requires  the  labor 
of  two  men  and  one  team  to  milk,  care  for  these  cows,  and  deliver  the  milk. 
I  have  350  pullets  in  my  yard;  with  but  a  tithe  of  the  labor  and  capital 
employed,  these  pullets  last  winter  made  me  more  than  double  the  clear 
money  that  my  cows  did. 

I  am  well  acquainted  with  two  young  men  who  are  running  a  poultry 
and  dairy  farm  conjointly.  The  one  is  an  invalid,  keeps  1,000  hens,  the 
care  of  which  occupies  about  one-half  of  his  time.  The  other  keeps  thirty 
cows,  from  which  he  makes  butter  of  so  good  a  quality  that  it  really  com- 
mands eight  to  ten  cents  above  the  standard  price.  This  man  raises  the 
usual  farm  crops,  reads  the  papers  carefully,  knows  something  of  labor 
and  its  application,  and  runs  his  gang  of  four  or  five  men  with  an  eye  to 
business.  Yet  the  invalid  brother  clears  double  the  money  from  his  1,000 
hens  that  his  brother  does  from  the  whole  farm. 

One  instance  more:  E.  Damon,  of  South  Hanson,  Mass.,  told  me  not 
long  since  that  he  had  750  pullets  in  his  yard,  600  of  which  had  been  con- 
fined in  one  building  all  winter  without  stepping  out  of  doors.  These  fowls 
had  furnished  him  with  thirty-five  dozen  eggs  per  day  during  the  winter. 
These  eggs  were  taken  at  the  door  at  forty-two  cents  per  dozen.  This  gave 
him  $11  clear  profit  per  day,  with  only  a  few  hours'  care. 

Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns.— Probably  since  the  awakening  in  the 
interest  of  poultry  there  is  no  variety  which  has  taken  the  attention  of  the 
people  more  favorably,  and  held  its  own  so  evenly  and  so  well,  as  the  Brown 
Leghorn  fowls.  In  all  of  the  ups  and  downs,  with  all  the  criticisms  of  our 
most  particular  fanciers,  this  variety  has  taken  a  steady  and  increasing 
share  in  popularity  with  the  people.  The  Leghorn  family  of  fowls  consists 
of  the  Brown,  White,  Dominique,  and  Black  varieties.  The  first,  then,  oJ 
these  are  supposed  to  have  sprung  from  an  importation  of  about  the  yeai 
1852,  from  Leghorn,  Italy,  from  which  they  take  their  name.  They  were 
called  Red  Leghorns,  and  with  the  careless  way  of  breeding  and  selecting, 
which  was  to  raise  all  that  hatched,  and  breed  from  all  that  lived,  there 
eoon  appeared  fowls  of  different  marks,  till  some  came  white,  some  Domi- 
nique, and  some  retained  their  original  Brown.  As  fanciers  began  to  breed 
them  and  brought  to  bear  upon  them  their  particular  tests  and  fancies, 
selecting  to  certain  color  and  markings,  they  soon  had  them  divided  up 
into  different  families,  which  bred  like  parent  like  chick,  till  now  we  have 
our  very  beautiful  distinct  classes,  Brown,  White,  and  Dominique.  (The 
Black  Leghorn  is  a  later  importation.)  The  qualities  of  the  Leghorn  fowl, 
which  have  so  worked  upon  the  people  of  this  country  and  given  it  so 
high  a  place  in  the  American  fowl  yard  are  its  capacity  and  disposition  for 
business.  If  we  can  give  the  people  something  which  will  be  pleasing  to 
the  eye  and  bring  in  the  almighty  dollar,  we  touch  them  at  a  very  tender 
point,  and  that  is  just  where  the  Brown  Leghorn  fowl  touches  us.  We 
have  in  it  something  which  to  see  around  us  is  to  enjoy,  and  to  own,  is  to 
our  profit.  They  are  from  their  shell  a  hardy,  independent,  happy  chick- 
hunting  for  worms  and  bugs.  They  grow  very  fast,  and  at  the  age  of  two 
months  the  young  cockerels  put  their  crow  in  with  the  others,  and  the 
pullets,  at  four  and  five  months,  put  their  eggs  with  those  of  older  and 
more  matured  hens.  This  they  keep  up  while  they  live,  seemingly  because 
they  like  it,  and  again  because  they  can't  help  it. 


42 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


They  give  no  trouble  by  wanting  to  sit,  and  are  practically  non-sitters. 
If  handled  rightly  they  are  the  best  winter  layers  we  have,  in  comfortable 
quarters  laying  in  January  and  February  quite  regularly.  Their  eggs  are 
of  good  size,  pure  white.  In  competition  with  other  varieties,  they  have 
almost  without  exception  come  out  ahead  in  number  of  eggs  produced. 

They  are  of  superior  quality  for  the  table.  The  young  cockerels  are 
good  broilers  at  the  age  of  two  and  a  half  months,  and  their  flesh  is  >s 


Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorn  CocTc  "  Victor"  No.  6,204,  Winner  of  First  ana  Spe- 
cial Premiums  at  New  YorTc  Show,  February,  1886.    Owned  by  W.  N. 
Croffut,  Binghamton,  N.  T. 

juicy  and  sweet  as  the  best.  In  describing  the  cock,  we  would  say  it  has 
what  is  known  as  the  Single  Comb.  This  stands  very  straight  and  firm  on 
the  head.  The  points  of  the  comb  are  evenly  and  deeply  cut.  The  fowl 
has  a  red  face  and  white  ear  lobes.  I  would  here  say  this  is  quite  an 
important  feature,  and  a  great  deal  in  favor  or  against  the  fowl  is  in  accord- 


STAND  ABB   AMERICAN  POULTBF  BOOK.  41 

anee  with  the  appearance  of  its  ear  lobes.  The  eye  is  bright  red.  The 
plumage  of  the  cock  is  bright  red,  or  bay  hackle,  back  and  saddle,  solid 
black  breast  and  tail,  and  he  has  yellow  legs.  The  hen  has  the  same  single 
comb,  which  falls  over  to  one  side,  white  ear  lobes.    Her  plumage— hackle, 


Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorn  Cock  "Earle,''  No.  6,207,  Winner  of  First  Premium 

at  Sherburne,  N.  F.,  January,  1886.    Bred  ana  Owned  by  W.  N.  Croffut, 

Binghamton,  N.  T. 

golden  yellow  striped  with  black,  back  brown,  salmon-colored  breast,  and 
she  also  has  yellow  legs. 

It  should  be  said  these  fowls  are  very  intelligent,  and  if  handled  care- 
fully make  the  best  of  pets,  and  will  allow  of  handling  so  that  we  can  pick 
them  up  and  cause  no  excitement. 

Rose  Comb  Brown  Leghorns. — What  has  been  said  with  reference  to 
the  Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorn  fowl  is  equally  true  of  the  Rose  Comb. 


4A  STAND ARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

The  origin  of  the  Kose  Comb  iowls  is  often  called  for.  We  can  say  it  dates 
back  with  the  origin  of  the  Single  Comb,  as  there  were  Bose  Combs  imported 
then;  and  at  the  time  of  which  we  speak,  when  chicks  were  hatched  of  dif- 
ferent colors,  our  reliable  writers  claim  they  were  also  hatched  some  with 
Bose  Combs;  these  bred  by  themselves  are  our  present  Bose  Comb 
Brown  Leghorns.  There  is  probably  no  difference  in  their  quality  as  to 
usefulness.  They  are  alike  in  build,  markings,  and  appearance  every  way, 
with  the  exception  of  comb.  Some  prefer  the  Bose  Comb  to  the  Single 
Comb,  as  it  is  less  liable  to  freeze  in  our  severe  cold  climate. 

I  have  made  the  breeding  of  these  special  varieties  for  several  years, 
and  am  the  originator  of  the  Croffut  strain  of  Brown  Leghorns,  which  are 
well-known  among  breeders  of  choice  Brown  Leghorns. 

W.  N.  Cboffut. 

Causes  of  Variation. — The  causes  of  variation  in  fancy  fowls  forms  a 
subject  well  worthy  of  the  careful  study  of  every  fancier.  To  know  what 
are  the  causes  is  the  first  step  toward  producing  or  taking  advantage  of 
them.  Says  a  well-known  scientific  writer:  "  The  good  breeder  only  has 
to  find  in  his  yard  th«  animal  or  bird  that  suits  him,  and  then,  through  his 
understanding  of  his  art,  he  knows  that  in  the  course  of  a  few  generations 
he  can  fill  his  yards  with  animals  or  birds  of  this  color."  I  think  that  any 
breeder,  who  has  a  good  knowledge  of  the  business,  will  agree  that  is  harder 
to  find  the  ideal  color,  than  to  produce  it  when  once  found.  But  if  we  do 
find  it,  how  can  we  keep  and  reproduce  it  ?  This  may  not  be  difficult  for: 
the  expert  to  answer,  but  it  is  just  what  the  amateur  wants  to  know.  How 
can  he  prevent  variation  and  loss  of  the  type  ?  Now  there  are  two  prominent 
opinions  as  to  the  causes  of  variation.  First,  that  there  is  an  inherent 
tendency  in  all  animal  life  to  vary  from  the  general  type.  This  is  probably 
the  most  common  view,  and  the  one  which  the  mind  most  readily  grasps;  and 
yet,  when  we  consider  the  evidence  that  is  offered  in  its  favor,  we  do  not 
find  it  strong.  Space  forbids  our  doing  this,  but  consideration  of  the  matter 
I  think  will  show  that  such  inherent  tendency  to  vary  is  assumed  rather 
than  proven,  and  the  arguments  for  it  are  somewhat  weak. 

A  second  opinion,  which  is  to-day  looked  upon  with  favor  by  many 
scientific  writers,  is  that  variation  is  the  result  of  changing  conditions  and 
circumstances  of  life.  Broadly,  we  know  that  this  is  true.  The  amount  of 
food  and  the  selected  season  of  hatching  has  produced  the  difference  between 
the  giant  breeds,  the  Brahmas  and  Cochins,  and  the  diminutive  Bantams. 
The  conditions  have  secured  these  prominent  differences.  The  question 
is  how  far  do  the  influences  of  conditions  extend  ?  Do  they  produce  every 
variation  in  feathering  ?  I  must  say  that  all  my  own  personal  experience 
in  breeding,  with  careful  observation,  points  in  this  direction.  Here  is  a 
case  in  point:  Last  season  I  let  two  parties  have  eggs  from  one  pen  of 
Plymouth  Bocks;  each  hatched  from  forty  to  eighty  chickens.  In  one  case 
the  conditions  were  unlimited  range,  good  feed,  and  the  climatic  conditions 
to  which  all  my  birds  are  accustomed.  The  young  stock  were  as  good  as 
usual.  In  the  other  case  there  was  no  range,  no  shade,  but  the  best  of  feed 
and  care  otherwise.  These  last  birds  grew  very  fairly,  and  seemed  healthy, 
but  you  could  scarcely  find  a  bird  in  the  lot  through  the  dark  blue  bars  of 
whose  feathers  did  not  run  streaks  of  white.  This  did  not  occur  with  the 
other  flock,  from  eggs  from  the  same  pen.  If  the  conditions  did  not  cause 
the  variation,  what  did?  Certainly  not  inherent  tendency  to  vary,  else 
both  sets  of  birds  would  have  presented  this  variation  in  some  degree. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  45 

1  cannot  now  present  further  examples  in  this  line,  although  for  one  with 
large  experience  they  are  not  difficult  to  find,  but  will  content  myself  with 
one  or  two  applications  of  what  has  been  said.  I  have  no  doubt  that  a 
large  part  of  the  dissatisfaction  which  some  persons  find  with  the  stock  raised 
from  eggs  from  reliable  fanciers  arises  from  their  raising  their  stock  under 
entirely  different  conditions  from  those  which  the  parents  have  enjoyed. 
Our  best  fanciers  all  keep  their  stock  under  the  best  conditions  possible 
to  them,  and  for  a  man  to  buy  eggs  from  them  and  then  expect  to  raise  nice 
birds  under  poor  conditions,  is  nonsense.  He  may  rely  as  much  as  he  will 
on  the  principle  that  "  like  begets  like."  The  hereditary  law  fully  stated  is, 
like  begets  like  under  precisely  the  same  circumstances  and  conditions. 

But  a  question  will  naturally  suggest  itself  hei'e:  The  climatic  condi- 
tions existing  in  the  different  parts  of  our  land  are  very  different.  What  is  the 
use,  for  instance,  of  a  California  breeder  with  his  peculiar  climate  buying 
eggs  of  fine  stock  from  Massachusetts  in  the  hope  of  getting  from  tiiem  equally 
fine  birds  with  those  bred  by  their  brethren  of  the  latter  State,  if  conditions 
so  largely  affect  the  development?    The  answer  is  obvious. 

Our  California  friends  do  tell  us  of  strange  effects  produced  by  their 
climate  on  feathering  and  other  points;  yet  it  is  evident  that  unless  one  buys 
and  breeds  good  stock  he  has  no  hope  of  producing  it  for  himself;  and  there 
is  also  advantage  as  well  as  disadvantage  to  be  derived  from  strong  ten- 
dency to  vary.  Opportunity  is  given  in  this  to  produce  birds  which  shall 
be,  in  some  particulars,  an  advance  upon  the  parent  stock  from  which  they 
are  derived^ 

In  concluding  this  article  let  me  say  that  the  advice  of  the  scientific  writers 
(whose  habits  of  close  observation  make  them  the  most  to  be  trusted)  to  the 
breeder  is,  tbat  when  he  finds  the  bird  or  animal  which  suits  him,  to  do  his 
best  to  keep  its  progeny  under  similar  conditions  of  food  and  warmth  and 
range  to  those  which  the  parent  has  enjoyed,  and  thus  he  will  be  most  suc- 
cessful in  securing  his  ends.—  W.  A.  White,  in  Poultry  Monthly.  , 

A  French  Poultry  Farm. — Mr.  T.  Christy  writes  to  a  London  agri- 
cultural paper  of  what  he  saw  in  the  poultry  establishment  of  Eouiller 
et  Arnoult,  six  miles  from  Hudan,  France. 

The  space  occupied  is  six  acres,  and  the  Houdan  is  the  only  breed  of 
birds  kept.  The  eggs  are  collected  from  their  own  hens,  and  purchased 
from  the  farmers  and  cottages  m  the  neighborhood.  After  being  marked 
they  are  placed  each  day  in  the  convenses,  or  incubators. 

The  incubator  room  is  close  to  the  house,  and  is  about  18  feet  by  12,  and 
7  feet  high,  and  has  a  deep  sanded  floor.  There  are  about  thirty  incubators 
in  it  of  different  sizes;  at  any  rate,  their  capacity  is  calculated  at  4,000  eggs, 
and  they  have  hatched  out  42,000  cbfcks  this  Season  up  to  4th  September. 
Knowing  that  some  of  our  readers  will  "stop"  at  these  figures,  I  wrote 
on  my  return  to  London,  and  got  the  figures  confirmed  by  a  letter 
This  room  is  specially  arranged  for  the  purpose,  with  very  smal 
windows,  and  every  convenience  of  hot  water,  and  the  heat  given  o„ 
by  this  number  of  incubators  keeps  it  at  70  degrees,  each  machine  thus  re- 
quiring a  very  small  quantity  of  water  changed  night  and  morning.  On 
the  other  side  of  the  passage  was  the  chamber  where  the  chicks  are  taken 
to,  and  I  saw  that  the  day's  produce  was  at  least  300  chicks,  all  in  the  drying 
boxes.  Some  were  calling  loudly  to  be  let  out,  showing  that  the  time  oi 
probation,  which  is  twenty-four  hours,  was  nearly  over.  This  compart- 
ment has  very  little  light,  and  is  kept  at  about  60  degrees.    At  this  time  oi 


46  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 

the  year  the  chicks  of  "  twenty-four1  houia  "  are  taken  down  the  garden  and 
placed  in  one  of  the  very  large  runs.  Leaving  these  buildings,  we  notice  a 
large  wind-engine  for  pumping  up  water  into  the  tanks,  and  soon  learned 
the  necessity  for  this.  Passing  through  a  prolific  garden,  well  stocked  with 
fruit,  we  came  to  a  wire  wall,  about  eight  feet  high,  running  from  side  to  side. 


Golden  Spangled  Crested  Polish. 

In  the  center  was  a  gate,  leaving  a  passage  about  eight  feet  wide.  This  walk 
was  bounded  on  each  side  by  a  bed  of  flowers  and  shaded  by  fruit  trees. 
There  were  six  large  enclosures,  about  100  feet  square.  Those  nearest  the 
house  are  allotted  to  the  youngest  chicks  just  hatched,^  and  they  were 
furnished  with  wooden  houses,  and  in  these  are  placed  with  rearing  mothers, 
for  those  birds  that  feel  cold  to  run  into,  also  several  pedestals  piled  up 
with  tempting  food.—  Poultry  Nation, 


STANDARD  AMEBIC  AN  POULTRY  BOOK.  47 

Golden  Spangled  Crested  Polish. — This  breed  of  fowls  as  a  class  are 
very  prolific,  are  easily  raised,  and  when  full  grown  weigh  from  ten  to 
twelve  pounds  per  pair.  They  are  in  reality  a  fancy  breed,  and  are  just 
suited  to  the  tastes  of  people  of  refinement,  who  can  appreciate  and  take 
pleasure  in  owning  a  really  fine  bird.  They  are  especially  adapted  to  city 
residences,  being  extremely  domestic  in  their  habits.  They  lay  large  white 
eggs  of  oblong  shape,  very  rich,  which  among  epicures  are  in  great  de- 
mand. For  beauty  of  plumage  and  good  laying  qualities  this  breed  of  fowls 
cannot  be  excelled. 

How  Eggs  are  Hatched—The  following  item  was  sent  us  by  a  reader, 
from  which  we  infer  it  is  accepted  as  truth  by  nearly  all  persons  who  have 
read  it.  The  item  referred  to  is  as  follows:  "  People  have  an  idea  that  the 
hen  sits  on  the  eggs  for  a  time,  and  when  the  time  comes  for  hatching,  the 
Chick  bursts  forth.  There  never  was  a  greater  mistake.  The  chick,  until 
liberated  from  the  shell  by  outside  aid,  is  as  incapable  of  motion  as  if  it 
formed  a  solid  with  the  egg,  which  it  nearly  does.  You  might  as  well  in- 
close a  man  in  an  iron  boiler,  and  tell  him  to  get  out  of  the  shell  without 
help.  The  chick  grows  on  the  inside  of  the  shell,  until  at  last  the  excres- 
cence on  the  point  of  the  beak  of  the  bird  presses  against  the  inside  of  the 
shell,  and  bursts  up  a  very  small  scale.  Of  course,  when  it  does  this,  it  at 
the  same  time  breaks  in  that  spot  the  inside  skin  of  the  egg.  This  admits 
the  air;  in  a  short  time  it  breathes  and  gets  strength  to  cry  loudly.  The  hen 
then  sets  to  work  to  liberate  it;  she  brings  it  forward  under  the  feathers  of 
the  crop  and,  supporting  it  between  the  breastbone  and  the  neck,  begins  the 
work  of  setting  it  free.  She  hitches  her  beak  into  the  hole  by  the  raising  of 
the  scale  on  the  chick's  beak,  and  breaks  away  the  egg-skin  or  shell  all 
around  the  greatest  diameter  of  the  egg.  The  joint  efforts  of  the  hen  with- 
out and  the  chick  within  liberate  the  prisoner  and  he  struggles  into  ex- 
istence, and  gets  dry  under  the  feathers  and  the  natural  heat  of  the  hen. 
All  female  birds  ty  hich  sit  on  their  eggs  to  hatch  them  have  the  hook  in  the 
beak  strongly  developed.  Even  the  broad-billed  duck  and  goose  have 
those  hooks  specially  developed,  and  with  them  they  liberate  their  young. 
In  Australia,  where  everything  seems  to  be  by  contraries,  it  is  the  cock  of 
the  bush  turkey  that  hatches  the  eggs,  and  not  the  hen.  It  would  be 
interesting  to  know  whether  the  hook  of  the  beak  is  better  adapted  for  this 
service  in  the  male  than  in  the  female.  The  hook  of  the  beak  of  the  ordinary 
cock  of  the  common  fowl  is  quite  different  from  that  of  the  hen — it  is  adapted 
for  wounding  in  fighting,  but  not  for  hatching  of  eggs."  Now,  don't  it  beat 
all,  what  a  vivid  imagination  some  writers  are  gifted  with,  who  attempt  to 
explain  subjects  which  they  know  nothing  about?  We  must  say  the  above 
theory  in  regard  to  the  hatching  of  eggs  is  exceedingly  amusing  to  us,  for 
we  have  had  some  little  experience  in  hatching  chickens,  and  never  yet  saw 
a  hen  release  a  chick  from  the  shell,  never  expect  to  see  it  done,  and  do  not 
believe  any  one  else  ever  saw  it  done.  The  whole  article  is  nonsense  of  the 
sheerest  kind,  and  the  writer  knew  as  little  concerning  the  mystery  of  egg- 
hatching  as  he  knew  of  the  habits  and  customs  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
moon.  The  plain  truth  in  regard  to  the  hatching  of  eggs  is  as  follows: 
When  the  chicken  becomes  fully  developed  in  the  shell,  the  point  of  the 
beak  breaks  a  small  hole,  which  admits  air  to  the  chick  and  forms  a  start- 
ing-place for  the  shell  to  break,  which  it  does  by  the  pressure  of  the  chick 
against  the  shell  from  the  inside.  The  shell  has  become  rotten,  it  breaks 
very  easily,  and,  like  all  other  structures  of  similar  shape,  it  breaks  much 


48 


SI  AND  ABB   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


easier  from  inside  pressure.  A  common  stone  jug,  which  will  bear  the 
weight  of  two  men  standing  upon  the  outside,  can  easily  be  broken  by  filling 
it  full  of  water  or  other  liquid  and  then  forcing  in  the  cork  with  the  hand. 
The  absurdity  of  the  whole  matter  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  eggs  in 
an  incubator  hatch  without  aid,  and  we  have  never  noticed  one  of  those 
artificial  biddies  that  had  a  peculiarly-formed  hook  in  its  beak  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  ol  liberating  the  chicks.— E.  J.  Taylor,  in  the  American  Rural 
Home. 

White  Crested  Black  Polands— These  fowls  are  an  old  breed. 
They  have  been  bred  for  many  years  by  a  few,  and  of  late  much  more  at- 
tention has  been  given  them,  to  produce  fowls  of  good  markings,  till  now 
they  are  really  one  of  the  handsomest  varieties  of  domestic  poultry. 

In  markings,  it  is  very  desirable  to  have  a  solid  black  plumage,  shining 


White  Crested  Black  Polands. 

in  the  sun;  with  a  solid  white  crest.  It  is  now  objectionable  to  have  any 
black  feathers  in  the  crest,  or  any  white  in  the  plumage  of  the  body.  There 
are  many  yards  of  really  fine  birds,  but  in  which  the  white  feather  appears 
in  the  body  plumage.  This  is  much  due  to  the  carelessness  of  the  breeder. 
No  cock  or  hen  should  be  used  in  a  breeding  yard,  where  the  crest  is  mixed 
with  black,  or  where  the  body  feathers  are  tinged  with  white.  Another 
very  important  point  is,  to  get  as  small  a  comb  as  possible.  So  particular 
nowadays  are  good  breeders,  that  they  exclude  a  cock  or  hen  with  large 
comb.  The  consequences  are  that  in  some  flocks,  scarcely  any  comb  at  aR 
will  be  found. 

It  will  be  seen  that  for  beauty,  these  fowls  can  scarcely  be  excelled.  In 
point  of  useful  qualities,  they  will  not  produce  asmuch  flesh  per  head  as 
the  larger  ones,  as  they  do  not  weigh  as  much,  but  are  fine  table  fowls  of 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  4* 

about  the  size  of  the  Leghorna.  As  layers,  they  rank  very  high.  In  some 
yards  it  is  rare  to  find  a  sitting  fowl  during  a  summer.  The  laying  hen 
will  stop  for  a  few  days,  and  commence  again  with  no  fuss.  If,  however, 
we  want  a  Poland  hen  to  sit,  it  will  only  he  necessary,  as  a  general  thing, 
to  leave  the  eggs  in  the  nest  and  not  disturb  her.  Probably  there  is  not  a 
fowl  which  will  make  so  handsome  an  appearance  in  a  yard  as  a  Poland. 
They  attract  great  attention  from  the  passers  by,  and  are  as  handsome  as 
peacocks  at  much  less  expense.  I  have  bred  this  variety  of  fowls  at  inter- 
vals for  the  past  thirty  years,  and  now  have  as  fine  a  flock  as  can  be  seen 
in  this  country.  The  parents  of  the  chicks  took  first  premium  at  the  New 
York  State  fair  in  the  fall  of  1885,  and  all  of  the  premiums  at  the  Poultry  ex- 
hibition held  in  Madison  Square  Garden  in  February,  1886.  I  am  also  breeding 
White  and  Brown  Leghorns,  Light  Brahmas,  Laced  Wyandottes,  and  White 
Wyandottes.  I  send  my  illustrated  circular  to  any  address,  on  receipt  of 
two-cent  stamp.  G.  M.  T.  Johnson,  Binghamton,  N.  Y. 

Preparing  JVests  for  Sitters—Beginners  in  poultry  raising,  instead  of 
rushing  forthwith  to  buy  an  incubator,  should  master  the  art  and  science 
of  natural  incubation  first,  and  should  learn  how  to  rear  chickens  by  the 
natural  method  before  experimenting  with  manufactured  brooders.  They 
can  manage  artificial  processes  all  the  better  afterwards,  in  consequence  of 
this  apprenticeship.  The  requisites  in  the  artificial  method  can  only  be 
attained  in  fact  by  a  constant  comparison  with  natural  processes. 

An  important  thing  is  to  learn  how  to  prepare  the  nests  of  your  sitting 
hens.  Try  to  make  the  nest  to  fit  as  nearly  as  possible  the  shape  of  the 
hen's  body;  use  damp  earth,  as  it  is  easily  shaped,  and  it  serves  the  pur- 
pose of  furnishing  the  eggs  with  needful  moisture.  The  curve  of  the  nest 
must  be  neither  too  great,  ncr  so  small  as  not  to  keep  the  eggs  near  together. 
In  case  trouble  may  be  expected  from  rats,  cover  nest,  hen  and  all,  every 
night,  with  a  box  having  wire  cloth  at  the  ends  or  sides,  to  let  in  air. 

Don't  use  hay,  as  the  seeds  in  it  will  bait  the  mice,  and  the  hens  will  be 
likely  to  scratch  for  hay  seed,  and  thus  break  the  eggs.  Straw,  well  broken 
and  made  soft,  is  the  best  material.  Don't  cut  the  straw  in  a  machine,  as 
that  fills  the  nest  with  sharp  points  that  prick  the  hen  and  annoy  the  young 
chicks. 

Now  keep  in  mind  that  the  nest  of  your  sitter  must  be  kept  free  from 
lice  during  the  whole  term  of  incubation;  keep  the  whole  building  free 
from  them,  nests  and  all.  Any  preparation  that  will  aid  the  poulterer  iu 
annihilating  lice  in  his  houses  and  runs,  or  which  will  infallibly  destroy 
these  insidious  enemies  of  domestic  poultry  that  cause  our  birds  so  much 
annoyance  and  harm,  is  "  a  good  thing  "  to  have  at  hand  by  all  breeders 
and  fanciers  who  have  a  care  for  the  comfort,  health  and  welfare  of  their 
poultry  stock. 

There  are  several  methods  adopted  and  plans  in  vogue  to  help  the  fowl- 
keeper  in  this  matter.  Tobacco,  snuff,  whale-oil,  sulphur,  petroleum,  car- 
bolic powder  and  acid,  coarse  pepper-siftings,  etc.,  are  applied  upon  the 
fowl,  under  the  leathers,  or  upon  roosts  and  in  the  nests,  with  various 
results,  more  or  less  successful  in  the  course  of  time. 

Common,  cheap,  powdered  sulphur  you  can  always  get  at  the  druggists'. 
Scatter  it  in  the  nests  and  under  the  feathers  of  the  sitting  hens,  and  you 
will  not  be  troubled  with  lice.  If  the  lice  be  left  to  get  over  everything  and 
the  nests  are  full  of  them,  the  best  way  is  to  clean  out  and  burn  all  the  old 
nests,  whitewash  the  house  and  nest-boxes  inside  and  out,  make  clean,  fresh 


60 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 


nests,  sprinkling  them  well  with  sulphur,  and  your  hens  will  reward  yotl 
for  the  comfort  you  have  afforded  them.  To  rid  the  hens  of  lice,  dust  them 
well  with  flour  of  sulphur  by  night,  The  heat  of  the  hen's  body  in  the  nest 
will  cause  the  sulphur  to  continually  give  off  a  smell,  which  keeps  lice  and 
other  vermin  at  a  respectful  distance.  Provide  dust-baths  where  your  sit- 
ters can  have  access  to  them  when  they  come  off  to  feed.  You  are  supposed 
to  have  laid  up  a  stock  of  dry  road  dust,  which  you  should  collect  in  sum- 
mer or  early  fall  and  store  it  where  it  will  not  gather  dampness  and  freeze, 
and  keep  it  dry  and  throw  in  a  little  every  week  to  make  up  for  what  the 
fowls  throw  out  while  they  are  exulting  over  your  generous  care,  and  you 
may  be  sure  it  will  be  a  paying  item.    But  if  you  have  neglected  this  sea^ 


The  Langshans. 

sonable  provision,  and  the  ground  is  now  wet,  substitute  coal  ashes.    Tnis 
material  will  do  very  well. — Poultry  World. 

The  L.angshans._The  Langshans  are  fine,  useful  and  profitable  fowls, 
and  are  justly  very  popular,  as  they  bring  their  own  certificate,  and  speak  for 
themselves  in  eyery  yard  where  tbey  appear,  and  can  stand  wholly  on  their 
own  merits  wherever  they  are  known.  They  are  active,  agile,  and  impetu- 
ous, are  very  prolific,  and  grow  quickly,  mature  early,  and  lay  well;  although 
not  given  to  being  broody,  they  are  good  sitters  and  good  mothers.  Their 
flesh  is  white,  and  they  have  a  very  thin,  white  skin,  and  as  a  table  fowl 
are  equal  to  small  turkeys,  and  not  inferior  to  them  in  delicacy  and  flavor. 
Their  plumage  is  of  a  uniform  glossy  black,  and  full  of  lustre;  comb  single, 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  51 

and  a  bright  red  color.  The  beak  is  dark,  with  flesh-colored  variations 
along  the  line  of  the  mouth.  Eyes  dark,  with  but  little  difference  in  shape 
of  pupil  and  iris.  Neck  long,  full,  and  profusely  feathered.  Back  short 
and  fairly  broad,  rump  high.  Tail  very  full  and  flowing,  carried  rather 
high  and  forward,  and  furnished  with  good  size  sickles.  Legs  and  toea 
dark,  with  a  vivid  pink  color  showing  between  the  scales.  Shanks  scantily 
leathered  to  the  end  of  the  outer  toes  (there  should  be  no  feathers  on  the 
middle  toes),  bottoms  of  the  feet  are  pink. 

Their  eggs  are  fair  size  and  are  beautiful  in  color,  varying  from  the  palest 
salmon  to  the  darkest  chestnut  brown;  on  some  there  is  a  bloom  like  that 
on  freshly  gathered  fruit,  whilst  others  are  spotted,  often  literally  splashed 
All  over  with  dark  spots,  and  the  same  hen  will  tint  her  eggs  differently  one 
day  from  what  she  does  on  another. 

When  the  chicks  are  first  hatched  they  are  very  pretty,  interesting-looking 
\M\e  things,  active  and  sprightly  to  a  degree,  and  all  who  have  reared  them 
^without  taking  form  or  plumage  into  question—agree  that  they  are  dis- 
tinct in  habits  from  any  known  breed.  The  presence  of  a  stranger,  or  even 
U  cross-bred  chick,  is  easily  detected  in  the  newly-hatched  brood;  and  it 
Las  been  remarked  by  those  used  to  breeding  game  that  Langshans  covey 
like  young  partridges.  The  invariable  appearance  of  the  chick  when  it 
emerges  from  the  shell  is  as  follows:  its  back  is  black,  and  the  head,  face, 
aad  breast  is  a  mixture  of  black,  white,  and  the  different  shades  of  canary 
color.  The  Jej;8  are  in  some  pinkish,  and  in  others  have  assumed  the  dark 
penciling  peculiar  to  the  older  birds.  When  it  parts  with  its  down  it 
gradually  assumes  its  first  black  feathers,  but  often  retains  a  few  white 
nest  feathers,  until  almost  fully  grown.  Whilst  losing  their  down  there 
comes  a  time  when  they  are  not  attractive  looking,  but  the  appearance  of 
the  plumage  during  this  stage  depends  greatly  on  circumstances,  the  shel- 
ter and  care  afforded  them,  the  food  with  which  they  are  supplied,  etc. 
When  they  have  donned  their  first  black  coat  they  have  much  the  appear- 
ance of  young  turkeys,  and  it  is  not  until  they  are  about  five  months  old 
that  the  cockerels  and  pullets  give  indication  of  their  future  grandeur; 
every  day  finds  them  increasing  in  size  and  beauty.  Mrs.  R.  W.  Sargent,  of 
Kittery,  York  Co.,  Maine,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  illustration  pre- 
sented, makes  a  specialty  of  the  Langshans,  and  all  wishing  to  procure  this 
desirable  breed  of  fowls  should  communicate  with  her. 

Value  of  Bones—Poultry  breeders  do  not  seem  to  appreciate  the  great 
value  of  bones  for  their  fowls,  and  but  a  limited  few  ever  make  use  of  them' 
for  this  purpose.  No  matter  whether  the  birds  are  confined  or  not,  they; 
are  sure  to  be  benefited  by  a  moderate  quantity  of  bones,  though  those  that 
are  kept  in  close  confinement  need  them  most.  Nearly  every  family  of  any 
size  has  refuse  bones  enough  from  the  kitchen  to  afford  the  poultry  quite  a 
treat  from  time  to  time,  and  when  this  is  not  the  case,  or  when  the  supply 
runs  short,  enough  can  be  procured  each  week  from  the  nearest  butcher  at 
a  very  small  price,  many  butchers  being  glad  to  give  them  away  to  get  rid 
of  them.  These  can  be  crushed  by  using  a  large  stone  and  a  heavy  ham- 
mer, though  there  is  now  a  very  good  and  cheap  mill  made  for  the  purpose 
—costing  but  five  dollars  without  legs,  and  seven  dollars  with  legs — which 
pays  for  itself  several  times  over  during  the  season,  where  large  flocks  are 
kept,  as  it  not  only  grinds  and  crushes  bones,  but  also  oyster  shells,  corn, 
etc.  The  bones  crush  best  when  dry,  and  should  be  reduced  to  about  the, 
size  of  a  small  pea. 


52  STANDARD   AMEBIC  AN  POULTRY  BOOR, 

Silver  Spangled  Hambnrghs. — A  great  characteristic  of  all  of  the 
Hamburgh  varieties  of  fowls  is  their  superiority  as  egg  producers.  They 
are  by  many  called  the  Everlasting  Layers.  The  Silver  Spangled  is  the  most 
popular  of  all.  They  are  spangled,  the  body  of  each  feather  white,  tipped 
with  black.    The  contrast  renders  them  exceedingly  handsome. 

They  have  the  rose  comb,  which  lays  snugly  to  the  head,  and  is  seldom 
touched  by  the  frost.  The  ear  lobes  are  white,  the  outlines  distinctly 
marked  from  the  side  of  the  red  face. 

They  are  practically  non-sitters.  It  is  a  very  rare  thing  for  one  tc  want 
to  sit;  laying  during  most  of  the  year  with  the  exception  of  the  moulting 
season.    It  is  unnecessary  even  to  feed  them  with  special  reference  to  in« 


Silver  Spangled  Haiiiburghs. 

ducing  them  to  lay.  As  to  numbers  ol  eggs,  they  will  do  better  even  than 
the  famous  White  or  Brown  Leghorns,  but  their  eggs  are  not  as  large.  They 
bear  confinement  well,  but  should  be  provided  with  green  food  and  a  change 
during  such  times,  the  same  as  other  fowls.  They  are  proud  and  active, 
with  small  bodies,  very  trim,  which,  with  the  bright  distinct  markings  of  the 
plumage,  make  it  one  of  the  handsomest  in  a  flock  around  the  house  and 
yard.  I  have,  by  selecting,  produced  one  of  the  finest  flocks  of  this  variety, 
famous  for  its  beauty  and  utility,  and  have  found  them  to  be  one  of  the 
choicest  breeds  of  domestic  poultry. 

I  am  also  breeding  White  and  Brown  Leghorns,  Light  Brahmas,  Laced 
Wyandottes  and  White  Wyandottes.  I  send  my  illustrated  circular  to  anj 
addresa  on  receipt  of  two-cent  stamp. 

G.  M.  T.  Johnson,  Binghamton,  N.  Y. 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  & 

Management  of  Ducks. — "  Any  calculation  as  to  the  return  to  be  ex- 
pected by  those  who  keep  ducks,"  says  an  experienced  breeder,  "  depends 
entirely  upon  the  possession  of  a  suitable  locality.  They  are  most  likely  to 
be  kept  with  profit  when  access  is  allowed  them  to  an  adjoining  marsh, 
where  they  are  able  in  a  great  measure  to  provide  for  themselves;  for  ii 
wholly  dependent  on  the  breeder  for  their  living,  they  have  such  ravenous 
appetites  that  they  would  soon,  to  use  an  emphatic  phrase,  'eat  their  heads 
off.' "  No  description  of  poultry,  in  tact,  will  devour  so  much,  or  feed  so 
greedy.  The  excursions  allowed  them  must  be  limited  to  a  short  distance, 
for  otherwise  they  will  gradually  learn  to  absent  themselves  altogether, 
and  acquire  rather  wild  habits,  so  that  when  they  are  required  to  be  put  up 
for  feeding  or  immediate  sale,  they  are  often  found  missing,  and  difficult  to 
find. 

Ducks,  too  early  allowed  their  liberty  on  large  pieces  of  water,  are  ex- 
posed to  so  many  enemies,  both  by  land  and  water,  that  few  reach  their  ma- 
turity; and,  even  if  some  are  thus  vrtunate,  they  are  not  disposed  after- 
ward to  return  to  the  farm-yard  ami  submit  quietly  to  regular  habits. 
They  may  be  kept  in  health  in  small  enclosures,  by  a  good  system  of  man- 
agement, though  we  fear,  with  very  little,  if  any,  profit,  which  is  the  point 
to  which  all  our  advice  must  tend.  There  is  no  doubt  that  ducks  may  be 
made  profitable  as  egg  producers,  but  the  quality  of  their  eggs,  and  the  ex- 
tra labor  required  to  obtain  them  (for,  unless  they  are  got  up  every  night 
and  confined,  they  will  drop  their  eggs  carelessly  bere  and  there,  where 
many  of  them  will  not  be  found),  will  not  allow  them  to  compete  with  tbe  hen, 
in  that  capacity.  Also,  a  duck  lays  when  eggs  are  most  plentiful,  while 
hens'  eggs  may  be  procured  at  all  seasons. 

The  best  mode  of  rearing  ducklings  depends  very  much  on  the  situa- 
tion in  which  they  are  hatched.  On  hatching,  there  is  no  necessity  of  taking 
away  any  of  the  brood,  unless  some  accident  should  happen;  and,  having 
hatched,  let  the  duck  retain  her  young  upon  the  nest  her  own  time.  On 
her  moving  with  her  brood,  prepare  a  coop  and  pen  upon  the  short  grass, 
if  the  weather  be  fine,  or  under  shelter,  if  stormy.  Keep  a  wide  and  shallow 
dish  of  water  near  by  tbem,  and  renew  the  water  quite  often.  Their  first 
food  should  be  crumbs  of  bread,  moistened  with  milk;  curds,  or  eggs  toiled 
hard  and  chopped  fine,  are  also  relished  by,  and  are  good  for  them.  After 
a  few  days,  Indian  meal,  boiled  and  mixed  with  milk,  and  if  boiled  potatoes, 
mashed,  be  added,  all  the  better.  All  kinds  of  sopped  food,  buckwheat 
flour,  barley  meal  and  water,  mixed  tbin,  worms,  etc.,  suit  them.  They 
are  extremely  fond  of  angle-worms,  grubs,  and  bugs  of  all  kinds;  for  which 
reason  it  may  be  useful  to  allow  them  a  daily  run  in  tbe  garden.  All  the 
different  substances  mentioned  agree  with  young  ducks,  who  show,  from 
their  most  tender  age,  a  voracity  which  they  always  retain.  It  is  necessary, 
to  prevent  accidents,  to  take  care  that  the  ducklings  come  regularly  home 
every  evening,  and  precautions  must  be  tak«n  before  they  are  allowed  to 
mingle  with  the  old  ducks,  lesi  the  latter  should  ill-treat  and  kill  them, 
though  ducks  are  by  no  means  so  quarrelsome  and  jealous  of  new  comers 
as  common  4b wis  always  are. 

We  have  not  bred  any  ducks  for  a  number  of  years,  but  some  of  our  ex- 
perience with  them  is  as  follows:  In  1878,  we  tried  the  experiment  of  rear- 
ing ducks  without  having  the  water  facilities  which  many  consider  neces- 
sary to  make  the  undertaking  successful.  We  bought  of  the  Aylesbury 
variety,  one  drake  and  three  ducks,  in  the  fore  part  of  February,  placed 
them  in  our  back  yard,,  and  let  them  run  with  the  rest  of  the  fowls;  fed 


54 


STANDARD   AMEBIC  AN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


them  regularly  three  times  a  day,  and  kept  placed  for  their  convenience  at 
all  times,  an  eight-quart  basin  full  of  water.  We  did  not  coop  them  with 
our  other  fowls;  understanding  they  would  do  better  in  dark  coops  or  roosts, 
we  therefore  made  for  them  two  tigbt,  tent  coops  of  rough  boards,  with 
small,  open  doorways  in  front,  in  the  most  secluded  place  we  could  find  in 
the  yard,  between  a  couple  of  trees,  and  surrounded  with  shrubbery.  The 
three  ducks  commenced  laying  about  the  last  of  February,  and  continued 
laying  pretty  regularly  until  the  latter  part  of  August,  or  first  of  September. 


Houdans. 

In  April,  we  set  a  hen  on  thirteen  duck's  eggs,  which  brought  off  twelve 
young  ducks.  We  did  not  set  any  ducks,  but  continued  to  use  hens  for  that 
purpose,  and  at  the  close  of  the  season  were  rewarded  with  a  flock  of  sixty- 
eight  young  ducklings,  which  brought  in  the  fall,  when  well  fattened,  an 
average  of  $1.50  per  pair,  saying  nothing  of  the  large  number  of  eggs  used 
for  culinary  purposes.  In  rearing  young  ducks  with  hens,  we  placed  near 
the  coops,  which  were  always  located  in  the  vicinity  of  the  pump,  a  small 
pan  or  water-tight  box,  sunk  in  the  ground  to  receive,  the  waste  water  from 
tiie  pump,  which  answered  the  purpose  as  well  as  if  they  were  given  a  pond 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  53 

of  water  to  swim  in,  and  fretted  the  hen  mother  much  less.  In  fattening 
them,  we  gave  them  plenty  of  boiled  potatoes,  mixed  wi'h  cooked  Indian 
meal,  made  into  a  pudding.  "We  fed  but  little  corn  or  oats.  They  paid  us 
well  for  all  our  trouble  and  expense,  as  they  doubtless  would  if  the  ex- 
periment were  tried  on  a  larger  scale. — Ihe  American  Rural  Home. 

Houclans. — The  Houdan  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  varieties  of  fowls, 
and  nothing  is  more  imposing  than  a  yard  full  of  Houdans;  but  its  merits 
far  exceed  its  beauty.  Besides  the  lightness  of  its  bones  and  the  quantity 
and  delicacy  of  its  flesh,  it  is  a  variety  to  be  admired  for  its  early  produc- 
tiveness and  fecundity.  The  chickens  in  four  months  can  be  fattened,  and 
acquire  great  size.  This  breed  produces  very  fine  chickens,  and,  of  all 
varieties,  the  hen  approaches  in  weight  nearest  to  that  of  the  cock.  They 
are  precocious,  and  abundant  layers  of  a  fine  white  egg.  The  pullets  begin 
to  lay  in  the  month  of  January.  The  variety  is  a  farmer's  fowl,  and  is  more 
easily  raised  than  any  oiher  of  the  French  variety.  In  disposition  it  is  also 
less  roaming. 

Spring  Breeding  of  Poultry. — An  English  correspondent  of  the 
Country  G-  entleman  thus  expresses  himself:  Where  it  is  intended  to  pro- 
duce early  chickens  for  market  or  for  home  use,  there  should  be  a  lot  of 
stock  birds  for  that  purpose  separate  from  those  which  are  to  produce 
the  layers  and  breeders.  In  nearly  all  countries  the  breeding  of  early 
chickens  is  about  the  most  profitable  part  of  poultry  keeping.  The  priceg, 
which  can  be  realized  the  first  four  months  of  the  year  leave  a  large  margin 
to  the  producer,  and  where  the  farm  is  suited  from  its  position  and  soil  to 
early  breeding,  and  there  is  a  good  market  for  theTowls  within  reach,  this 
is  a  work  that  we  should  recommend  the  breeder  to  go  in  for.  He  may 
hatch  from  pullets'  eggs  if  that  be  necessary,  as  it  most  probably  will,  for 
though  the  chicks  will  not  be  so  hardy  as  would  be  those  from  hens'  eggs, 
yet  as  they  are  to  be  killed  off,  no  harm  will  be  done.  The  birds  will  be 
fed  up  at  the  right  time,  and  whatever  weakness  may  be  in  them  will  not 
be  transmitted  to  any  other  than  themselves.  To  secure  the  chickens 
being  ready  in  time,  they  should  be  hatched  in  November  and  December. 
The  former  will  be  ready  for  market  in  February,  the  latter  in  March  or 
April,  these  being  the  best  months  of  the  year,  so  far  as  prices  are  con- 
cerned. This  set  of  breeding  pens  may  be  broken  up  in  December,  unless 
a  few  more  chicks  are  to  be  bred  in  January,  and  the  ground  may,  after  a 
short  rest,  be  occupied  by  the  regular  breeding  stock,  which  need  not  be 
mated  until  the  middle  or  end  of  January.  It  is  most  desirable  that  the 
birds  which  have  laid  eggs  for  the  production  of  the  early  chickens  should 
not  be  relied  upon  for  tbose  from  which  the  stock  breeders  and  layers  are 
to  be  obtained.  In  the  case  of  pullets  especially,  the  strain  upon  the  system 
from  the  production  of  so  many  eggs  will  have  weakened  them,  and  this 
would  be  injurious  to  the  later  progeny.  These,  if  of  a  sitting  variety,  may 
be  used  for  that  purpose,  as  they  become  broody,  and  this  will  give  them  a 
much  needed  rest.  But  if  non-sitters,  they  may  be  rested  by  the  discourage- 
ment of  laying  for  a  time.  The  plan  here  recommended  will  be  found  best 
suited  to  the  production  of  healthy,  strong,  large  fowls.  I  do  not  wish  my 
meaning  to  be  mistaken.  I  believe  in  early  breeding,  i.  e.,  early  in  the 
year,  so  as  to  get  the  hens  to  lay  before  the  winter  sets  in,  which  they  will 
not  do  if  allowed  to  hatch  late;  but  1  do  not  believe  in  the  production 
qf  otoek  birds  at  an  unseasonable  period  of  the  year,  and  from  pullets. 


arf  STAND  AMD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

February  is  early  to  set  eggs,  but  not  too  early.  April— the  month  when 
most  farm  hens  in  this  Country,  if  not  well  attended  to,  begin  to  sit — is 
getting  late,  and  May  is,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  too  late. 

Buff  Cochins— This  variety  of  fowl  is  now  very  popular  in  England. 

The  Buff  Cochins  are  the  real  Shanghais.  The  color  of  the  hen  is:  Comb, 
face,  deaf  ear,  and  wattles,  brilliant  red;  plumage,  uniform,  clear,  deep 
buff  throughout — the  more  uniformly  clear  and  free  from  mottling  or  shad* 


Buff  Cochin  Hen. 


ing  the  better;  a  clear  hackle  preferred,  but  a  slight  marking  at  the  end  oi 
the  feathers  of  the  neck  not  a  disqualification;  legs  bright  yellow,  with  fea- 
thers the  same  color  as  body  feathers. 

The  Hens  for  Farmers. — If  a  farmer  keeps  hens  chiefly  for  the  pur- 
pose of  supplying  his  own  table  with  meat  and  eggs,  he  will  do  well  to  raise 
birds  that  belong  to  one  of  the  large  breeds.  The  choice  will  lie  between 
the  Brahmas,  the  Cochins,  and  the  Plymouth  Rocks.    There  are  no  objeo- 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR.  5? 

tions  against  any  of  these  breeds.  The  light  Brabmas  have  been  most 
favorably  known  for  over  thirty  years,  and  for  general  merit  they  are  not 
surpassed  by  any  of  the  newer  breeds.  The  light  Brahma  fowl  meets  every 
requirement  of  the  farmer.  It  is  a  very  handsome  bird,  and  it  is  an  orna- 
ment to  the  premises.  It  is  a  contented,  home-loving  bird,  not  inclined  to 
wander  about  and  get  into  mischiel.  It  is  a  large  bird,  and  furnishes  a  fine 
roast.  If  its  flesh  is  not  quite  as  tender  or  delicious  as  that  of  some  of  the 
French  fowls,  it  is  at  least  very  good.  A  Brahma  fowl  is  easily  dressed, 
and  when  plucked  presents  a  fine  appearance.  The  eggs  of  the  Brahma 
are  large  and  well  formed.  Though  they  bring  no  more  in  the  market  than 
small  eggs,  they  are  of  much  greater  value,  as  their  size  and  weight  indi- 
cate. Brahma  hens  of  suitable  age,  if  they  have  warm  quarters,  will  lay 
during  the  entire  winter.  They  are  patient  sitters  and  good  motherg.  They 
are  not  as  greatly  addicted  to  scratching  and  making  havoc  in  the  garden  as 
fowls  belonging  to  the  smaller  and  more  active  breeds.  Being  heavy,  they 
never  attempt  to  make  long  flights.  They  can,  if  it  is  desired,  be  kept  in 
an  ordinary  farm-yard  without  making  any  additions  to  the  fence.  They  do 
not  suffer  when  kept  in  partial  confinement.  They  will  thrive,  gain  in 
weight,  and  produce  eggs  when  kept  in  a  yard  or  building,  provided  they 
are  supplied  with  suitable  food,  water,  and  materials  for  forming  the  shells 
of  eggs.  If  Brahma  fowls  are  not  the  favorites  of  breeders,  the  cause  mav 
be  found  in  the  circumstance  that  they  are  no  longer  novelties.  Breeders, 
like  nurserymen,  prefer  to  raise  and  sell  new  things.  They  can  obtain 
higher  prices  for  them,  as  they  are  desired  by  amateurs,  while  they  have 
little  competition.  Light  Brahma  fowls  are  now  well  distributed  throughout 
the  country.  Birds  of  pure  strains  or  their  eggs  can  be  obtained  at  com- 
paratively low  prices.  It  is  to  the  advantage  of  farmers  who  have  nothing 
but  mongrels  on  their  places  to  obtain  a  supply  of  them.  Many  farmers 
think  that  they  cannot  afford  to  keep  animals  of  pure  blood.  They  ac- 
knowledge their  superior  value,  but  they  have  not  the  money  to  purchase 
them.  Yery  few  farmers  are  so  short  of  means  that  they  cannot  raise 
money  enough  to  pay  for  a  sitting  of  eggs.  It  takes  several  years  to  raise  a 
flock  of  improved  s*heep  or  a  herd  of  pedigree  cattle.  But  a  flock  of  fowls 
of  pure  blood  can  be  secured  in  one  year  at  the  expense  of  a  few  dollars. 
These  fowls  will  be  conducive  to  pleasure  as  well  as  profit.  It  will  cost  no 
more  to  keep  them  than  an  equal  number  of  common  fowls,  whose  flesh 
and  eggs  are  greatly  inferior.  The  farmer  in  any  town  who  makes  the  first 
start  in  keeping  superior  fowls  can  generally  make  money  in  selling  birds 
or  their  eggs  to  the  neighbors.  If  one  farmer  makes  a  new  departure  in 
keeping  fowls,  his  neighbors  generally  follow  his  example,  and  in  most 
cases  they  will  purchase  breeding  stock  from  him.  Eggs  of  light  Brahma 
hens  obtained  very  early  in  the  season  will  produce  chickens  that  will  lay 
eggs  during  the  next  winter.  Few  farmers  who  have  kept  superior  fowls  a 
few  years  are  dissatisfied  with  the  result,  or  are  willing  afterward  to  raise 
common  barn-yard  chickens. 

Keeping  the  Breast  Bones  Straight. — It  is  a  well  known  fact  that 
the  heavier  breeds  of  domestic  poultry,  like  the  Brahmas  and,  Cochins,  and 
especially  the  light  Brahmas,  are  frequently  much  injured  by  roosting  on 
small  or  ill-contrived  roosts  or  roosting  benches,  causing  a  curvature  of 
the  breast  bone,  when  the  birds  are  young  and  the  bones  very  soft,  tender, 
and  pliable.  This  deformity,  while  it  does  not  show  the  bad  defects  in 
breeding  from  such  deformed  birds,  is  an  eyesore,  and  detracts  consider- 


68 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  ROOK. 


ably  from  the  selling  value  of  the  bird,  no  matter  how  fine  a  specimen  o! 
the  breed  it  may  otherwise  be.  To  remedy,  in  some  measure,  this  tendency 
or  irregularity,  some  of  our  breeders  use  very  low  roosting  benches,  in 
place  of  the  high  roosts  of  the  old-style  pattern.  These  benches  are  made 
with  broad,  rounding  strips  for  the  birds  to  rest  on  and  cling  to,  and  this 
generally  prevents  the  bones  of  the  breast  from  becoming  deformed.  The 
young  of  the  Asiatics  (Brahmas  and  Cochins)  are,  when  young,  very  weak 


White  Cochins. 

in  the  legs,  causing  them,  when  on  the  roost,  to  bear  most  of  the  weight  on 
the  roosting  pole  or  strip  directly  on  the  breast  bone,  to  relieve  the  strain 
on  the  legs  If  the  roosting  poles  are  small  or  have  sharp  edges,  it  is  sure 
to  become  painfully  apparent  in  the  curvature  of  the  breast  bones  of  the 
young  birds,  and  to  avoid  it  the  roosts  must  be  broad  and  rounded— say  a 
2M  inch  strip,  rounded  on  the  upper  side.  This  will  be  found  about  right. 
^o  avoid  all  possibility  of  trouble  from  curvature  of  the  breast  bones, 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  59 

quite  a  number  of  Brahma  and  Cochin  breeders  now  do  away  with  the 
roosts  altogether  for  their  immature  and  growing  young  stock,  and  bed  the 
birds  down  with  straw,  th©  same  as  is  done,  with  cattle,  etc.,  and  in  some 
cases  with  ducks  and  geese.  The  young  chicks  soon  get  to  understand  how 
to  use  their  "  low  roosts,"  and  gather  in  on  the  straw  every  night  as  regu- 
larly and  as  orderly  as  do  cattle  or  sheep. 

While  this  bedding  down  is  a  good  thing,  when  properly  managed,  it 
must  be  removed  and  well  aired  each  morning,  and  the  house  swept  out. 
Just  before  roosting  time,  the  straw  is  nicely  spread  in  place  again  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  birds,  and  the  same  thing  is  repeated  daily  while  the 
birds  use  this  method  of  sleeping,  which  they  are  generally  compelled  to 
do  until  they  have  become  fully  matured,  and  the  breast  bones  thoroughly 
hardened  by  age  and  maturity. 

White  Cochins. — We  ^ive  an  illustration  of  a  White  Cochin  cock. 
Cochins  of  this  color  possess  the  same  characteristics  as  the  other  colored 
varieties  of  this  breed  of  fowls,  and  should  be  in  build,  or  general  shape 
and  action,  similar  to  the  Lemon,  Buff,  Cinnamon,  Grouse,  or  other  colored 
birds  of  this  variety.  However,  the  White  Cochin  cock  and  hen  should 
have  comb,  face,  deaf  ear,  and  wattles  of  a  brilliant  red  color;  plumage, 
pure  white  throughout;  the  cock  as  tree  from  yellow  tinge  as  possible;  legs, 
light  yellow.    Other  colors  are  considered  a  disqualification  in  show  birds. 

Plenty  of  Eggs  in  Cold  "Weather—There  is  a  farmer  living  about 
two  miles  from  Waterloo,  writes  E.  J.  Taylor  in  the  American  Rural  Homey 
who  has  many  eggs  to  sell,  and  at  times  when  they  are  the  highest  in  price. 
I  met  this  farmer  a  few  days  ago,  and  asked  him  how  he  managed  to  have 
so  many  eggs  to  take  to  market  when  he  wanted  them  the  most;  he  replied 
that  it  was  his  wife's  doings,  and  gave  me  a  hearty  invitation  to  visit  the  old 
lady,  saying  that,  as  she  was  as  proud  of  her  poultry  as  he  was  of  his  pigs, 
she  would  talk  all  day  about  them  gladly.  I  promised  to  accept  his  invita- 
tion, as  I  felt  quite  well  acquainted  with  his  wife,  having  sold  her  a  fine 
breeding  pen  of  Plymouth  Bocks  some  three  years  ago,  and  she  now  has  a 
large  flock  of  this  splendid  variety  of  fowl,  which  she  is  very  particular  to 
keep  strictly  pure,  and  it  pays  her  well  10  do  so,  for  in  the  course  of  a  sea- 
son she  sells  many  a  setting  of  eggs  for  hatching,  and  occasionally  a  trio  of 
fowls,  for  prices  far  better  than  she  could  obtain  in  market.  So  I  went  out 
to  their  place  last  week,  had  a  good  dinner,  and  a  long  talk.  The  old  lady's 
ideas  are  partly  reproduced  from  my  notebook,  and  partly  from  memory, 
in  as  nearly  her  own  language  as  possible,  and  I  think  they  are  worthy  of 
attention. 

Some  of  her  ideas  are  decidedly  original  to  say  the  least.  She  said  to 
me:  "  '  How  do  I  make  my  hens  lay  so  well  in  cold  weather  ?  '  Well ,  now, 
the  best  way  is  to  feed  'era.  Keep  Lent  yourself,  if  you  want  to,  but  don't 
make  them  fast  with  you.  Corn  and  oats  and  scraps  are  all  very  well  to 
fit  your  fowls  for  the  table;  but  if  you  want  eggs,  you  must  give  your  hens 
meat.  That  makes  you  open  your  eyes,  but  it's  true,  and  it's  I,  who  have 
had  most  eggs  to  sell  when  they  brought  the  most,  year  after  year,  who 
tell  you  so.  Give  'em  meat  cut  in  small  bits,  so  they  can  handle  it  easily; 
cooked  meat,  or  they  will  fight.  Drop  it  on  clean  gravel  if  you  have  it,  if 
not,  then  scatter  it  'round  a  clean  floor,  such  as  a  barn  or  corn-house  floor. 
Don't  give  it  to  'em  in  a  basin;  if  they  haven't  had  any  for  some  time,  they 
gobble  it  down  as  children  do  mince  pie,  and  make  pigs  of  themselves;  but 


W  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 

scatter  it  'round  so  they  will  find  it  as  they  do  worms,  and  grasshoppers, 
and  things  in  summer;  and  then  they'll  give  you  eggs,  that  is,  if  they  are 
well  when  you  commence.  But  if  they  are  sickly,  if  their  blood  is  out  of 
order,  you  must  physic  'em  and  get  'em  well  before  you  commence  on  high 
feed.  Salts  is  the  thing— Epsom  salts.  I've  used  it  every  spring  for  five 
years,  and  the  woman  that  told  me  of  it  had  used  it  for  twenty.  I  don't 
suppose  it  makes  much  difference  how  it's  done.  I've  had  various  ways, 
and  have  settled  down  on  this  way:  After  I  have  taken  my  corned  beef  and 
vegetables  out  of  the  pot,  on  a  day  when  I  have  boiled  dinner,  I  just  set  the 
pot  on  the  back  of  the  stove,  and  put  into  the  liquor  a  teaspoonful  for  every 
sick  hen  I  had;  then  I  stir  in  bran,  shorts,  mill-feed,  or  any  or  all  of  such 
stuff  as  I  happen  to  have,  till  the  whole  is  as  thick  as  hasty  pudding;  then 
I  give  it  a  good  sprinkling  of  red  pepper,  or,  if  I  have  'em,  put  in  a  few  red 
pepper  pods,  and  let  it  stand  and  stew  awhile,  being  careful  not  to  let  it 
burn.  Then  I  give  it  all  a  fresh  stir,  and  then  p*ut  it  on  a  clean  board,  and 
put  it  where  the  hens  can  get  it.  Then  the  hens  show  their  good  sense. 
The  well  ones  go  to  it,  poke  at  it  with  their  bills,  squall,  wipe  their  bills 
clean  and  leave  it.  But  the  sick  ones,  those  with  scabby  legs,  bare  breasts, 
light  combs,  the  logy,  scrawny-looking  things,  they  relish  it;  they  pick  a 
bit  and  then  go  for  gravel,  then  come  back  and  take  another  taste,  and 
then  take  a  sip  of  water,  a-nd  hang  'round  the  board  till  they  have  had 
enough,  or  it  is  all  gone.  By  the  way,  I  always  have  clean  drinking  water, 
with  the  chill  taken  off,  handy  for  the  hens  to  drink,  when  I  physic  'em. 
Don't  be  afraid  they  will  take  too  much  of  the  medicine;  unless  you  put 
corn  or  some  tempting  feed  in  it,  there  is  no  danger.  You  put  the  salts  in 
this  mess  just  as  you  put  pills  in  jelly  for  your  baby  to  take.  In  two  or 
three  days  after  they  have  their  medicine,  they  will  be  ravenous;  then  they, 
like  the  rest  of  your  fowls,  should  have  meat.  But  don't  let  them  have  too 
much  at  one  time,  or  in  one  place;  scatter  it  around;  make  'em  hunt  for  it 
and  work  for  it.  One  of  the  best  ways  to  feed  meat  to  hens  is  to  give  them 
a  bone  to  pick;  I  often  boil  a  sheep's  head  and  make  John  crack  the  bones 
with  his  axe,  and  throw  it  into  the  hen-yard.  How  they  do  enjoy  itl  and 
they  do  lay  after  itl  Yes,  I  always  try  to  give  cooked  meat  to  my  hens. 
According  to  my  notion,  raw  meat  makes  them  wild  and  quarrelsome,  also 
makes  'em  steal  their  nests;  but  if  I  cook  it  for  'em  they  get  tamer,  more 
domestic,  don't  fight,  go  around  singing  quiet  as  can  be,  get  lazy,  lay  lots 
of  eggs,  because  they  feel  contented  and  happy,  I  suppose,  and  want  to 
show  their  gratitude  in  some  way,  or  maybe  they  lay  because  they  can't 
help  it." 

"White  I^ghorns—This  breed  of  fowls  is  scarcely  known  in  England, 
but  is  highly  prized  in  America.  They  are  bred  of  nearly  all  colors  save 
black.  They  are  a  very  hardy  bird  and  extremely  good  layers,  and  seldom 
desire  to  sit.  The  young  are  easy  to  rear;  they  feather  up  soon,  and  at  the 
age  of  six  or  eight  weeks  are  miniature  cocks  and  hens.  They  lay  a  smaller 
egg  than  the  Spanish,  but  mature  earlier,  and  are  superior  for  the  table. 
The  cocks  have  large  single  combs,  which  should  stand  perfectly  erect. 
The  carriage  of  both  cock  and  hen  is  proud  and  dignified.  This  fowl  is  a 
great  and  valuable  acquisition  to  the  poultry  yard. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Live  Stock  Record  writes:  "  As  egg-producers,  I 
believe  the  Leghorns  stand  at  the  head  of  all  breeds,  There  are  breeds 
that,  it  is  claimed,  are  better  layers  than  the  Leghorns,  but  if  you  will  give 
this  breed  a  good  warm  house  and  good  care,  I  don't  think  you  will  flad 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  61 

any  breed  that  will  beat  them — at  least  that  ia  my  experience.  They  mnst 
have  a  warmer  house  than  some  other  breeds,  because  of  their  large  combs 
and  wattles,  which  are  more  liable  to  freeze  than  those  of  fowls  with  smaller 
combs.  Some  claim  that  the  Leghorns  are  too  small;  it  is  true  they  are 
small,  but  what  of  that  ? 

"  The  same  food  that  would  raise  a  Brahma  from  a  chick  up  to  weigh 
eight  pounds  would,  I  honestly  believe,  raise  three  Leghorns  to  weigh  four 
pounds  each;  and  if  you  are  raising  them  for  early  chicks  for  broilers,  the 
Leghorns,  hatched  the  same  time  with  the  Brahmas,  will  be  feathered  out, 


White  Leghorns. 

sold,  and  eaten  before  the  Brahmas  fairly  realize  that,  to  look  well,  their 
bodies  should  be  covered  with  feathers. 

"  Another  reason  why  I  like  Leghorns  is,  the  pullets  begin  laying  very 
young.  My  first  chicks  last  season  were  hatched  April  21st,  and  the  pallets 
began  laying  in  August.  Leghorns  generally  lay  a  pure  white  egg,  but 
there  are  exceptions;  the  best  hen  I  had  last  year  laid  eggs  nearly  as  dark 
in  color  as  those  of  a  Plymouth  Bock  or  Brahma. 

*  I  had  two  gardens  last  summer,  one  each  side  of  my  poultry-house, 
and  neither  of  them  more  than  twelve  rods  distant.    Neither  of  these  gar- 


62  STAND  ABB   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 

dens  were  picketed  in,  and  my  hens  did  not  bother  a  thing  in  either  until 
the  tomatoes  were  more  than  half  ripe;  but  my  hens  were  fed  all  summer. 

"  I  believe  it  pays  to  keep  hens,  and  I  just  as  much  believe  that  it  pays 
to  feed  them.  If,  after  grass  got  a  start  in  the  spring,  we  had  taken  the 
feed  away  from  our  hens  and  told  them  to  shift  for  themselves,  they  would 
undoubtedly  have  done  so,  and  very  likely  would  have  shifted  some  for  ua 
in  the  garden  besides." 

How  to  Preserve  Eggs— There  are  a  great  many  methods  suggested 
for  this  purpose,  and  we  will  give  not  only  the  plan  we  pursue,  but  the  ex- 
perience of  others.  The  best  of  all  preservatives  is  sulphur,  but  as  sulphur 
will  not  dissolve  in  water  we  convert  it  into  a  ga3  by  combining  it  with 
oxygen,  forming  what  is  known  as  sulphurous  acid  gas  (not  sulphuric), 
which  is  done  by  simply  burning  it.  In  order  to  test  an  experiment  take 
one  dozen  eggs  and  break  one  every  month,  which  will  enable  you  to  know 
exactly  how  long  they  will  keep  under  any  process.  We  will  say  this  much 
in  the  beginning,  however,  which  is,  that  eggs  so  packed  in  a  box  as  to  per- 
mit them  to  be  turned  over  daily  will  keep  twice  as  long  as  those  not 
treated.  By  packing  them  in  a  box  with  oats  as  a  filling,  and  then  turning 
the  box  upside  down,  a  large  number  can  be  turned  at  once.  Another 
point  is  that  eggs  from  hens  that  are  confined  in  yards  without  the  com- 
panionship of  cocks  keep  better  than  under  the  reverse  conditions,  or 
rather,  infertile  eggs  keep  better  than  those  that  are  fertile.  Supposing  the 
reader  intends  to  try  one  dozen  eggs  as  an  experiment,  one  of  which  is  to 
be  broken  each  month  for  a  year  (of  course  a  larger  number  may  be  used  if 
preferred),  we  will  give 

The  Sulphur  Process. — Take  a  common  starch  box  with  a  sliding  lid. 
Put  the  eggs  in  the  box,  and  upon  an  oyster  shell  or  other  suitable  sub- 
stance, place  a  teaspoonful  of  sulphur.  Set  fire  to  the  sulphur,  and  when 
the  fumes  begin  to  rise  briskly,  shut  up  the  lid,  making  the  box  tight,  and 
do  not  disturb  it  for  half  an  hour.  Now  take  out  the  eggs,  pack  in  oats, 
and  the  job  is  done.  If  the  oats  or  packing  material  be  subjected  to  the 
same  process  it  will  be  all  the  better.  If  a  barrel  full  is  to  be  preserved, 
place  the  egg*  in  a  tight  barrel  two-thirds  full,  with  no  packing  whatever. 
Fire  a  pound  of  sulphur  upon  a  suitable  substance,  on  top  of  the  eggs  in 
the  vacant  space  over  them,  shut  up  tightly,  let  stand  an  hour,  and  then 
take  out  the  eggs.  As  the  gas  is  much  heavier  than  the  air  it  will  sink  to 
the  bottom,  or,  rather,  fill  up  the  barrel  with  the  fumes.  In  another  barrel 
or  box  place  some  oats,  and  treat  in  the  same  way.  Now  pack  the  eggs  in 
the  oats,  head  up  the  barrel,  turn  the  barrel  every  day  to  prevent  falling  of 
the  yelks,  using  each  end  alternately,  and  they  will  keep  a  year;  or,  ac- 
cording to  the  efficiency  of  the  operation,  a  shorter,  or  even  a  longer  time. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  above  that  the  process  is  a  dry  and  neat  one,  and 
very  inexpensive,  sulphur  being  a  very  cheap  article.  The  process  was 
sold  several  years  ago  by  certain  parties  in  Cincinnati  as  "  Ozone,"  but  it  is 
an  old  one,  and  the  parties  were  exposed,  not  that  the  process  waf*  a  fraud, 
but  because  they  sold  a  pound  of  sulphur  for  $2  as  ozone.  It  had  also  pre- 
viously been  published  in  the  Farmers'  Magazine  years  before.  To  show 
the  wonderful  preserving  qualities  of  sulphur  our  readers  may  try  a  quicker 
process,  by  way  of  experiment,  thus: 

Take  a  piece  of  fresh  beef,  a  fish,  or  anything  that  will  quickly  decay. 
Place  at  one  end  of  a  close  box  and  burn  a  little  sulphur  at  the  other  end. 
The  beef  or  fish  will  absorb  the  sulphur  fumes.    Keep  the  box  closed  hall 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRk    BOOK,  63 

a*  hour,  then  take  out  the  beef  or  fish,  hang  it  up  somewhere  (cellar,  otri 
of  doors,  or  anywhere),  and  our  word  for  it  that  you  can  let  it  hang  up  a 
year  without  the  slightest  odor  or  sign  of  decay.  The  first  three  days  there 
will  fee  a  slight  odor  of  sulphur,  which  passes  away.  The  meat  may  dry  up 
gradually,  but  will  not  spoil.  If  placed  in  a  pot  the  boiling  water  at  one* 
disengages  the  sulphur,  and  it  passes  off.  It  is  perfectly  harmless.  In 
fact  it  is  best  to  treat  all  the  meats  used  in  the  family  in  that  manner,  even 
when  wanted  for  immediate  use,  as  the  meat,  even  if  from  diseased  ani- 
mals, will  be  purified  from  disease  germs.  Remember  this  when  the 
cholera  comes. 

We  are  stepping  aside  from  the  matter  of  preserving  eggs,  but  excuse 
us  for  telling  you  how  to  preserve  fruit  also: 

All  substances,  such  as  meats,  fish,  eggs,  etc.,  are  preserved  with  the 
sulphur  without  water.  If  you  wish  to  preserve  peaches,  tomatoes,  or 
other  fruits  and  vegetables,  do  it  in  this  way:  Take,  say  peaches,  and 
put  the  peaches  in  one  end  of  a  box,  and  a  wide  bowl  of  water  at  the  other 
end.  Burn  the  sulphur  as  before.  Water  absorbs  sulphur  gas  rapidly, 
and  the  bacteria  are  destroyed.  In  the  meanwhile  the  peaches  will  also 
absorb  it.  Shut  up  the  box,  keep  it  closed  fifteen  minutes,  then  repeat  the 
process,  allowing  the  box  to  remain  closed  for  the  same  length  of  time. 
Now  place  the  peaches  in  a  jar,  pour  the  sulphurized  water  over  them,  tie 
a  piece  of  paper  over  the  top  to  keep  out  the  dust  (no  sealing  is  necessary), 
and  your  peaches  will  keep  till  the  next  crop  comes,  and  even  longer. 

Do  not  forget  that  it  will  only  cost  you  a  few  cents  to  try  the  process 
above.  Do  not  take  our  word,  "  prove  all  things."  We  have  tried  it,  and 
our  readers  should  do  so.  It  is  worth  $10  to  any  family.  Fruit  is  not 
affected  by  the  gas,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  partial  absorption  of  water, 
may  be  had  thereby  in  the  natural  condition,  though  a  few  highly  colored 
berries  (such  as  blackberries),  may  be  bleached  a  little. 

Cider  may  be  kept  sweet  for  years  by  burning  sulphur  on  a  floating 
piece  of  wood  on  top  of  it,  and  dried  fruit  may  be  made  white,  and  will  keep 
better  from  its  use.  A  corpse  may  be  kept  a  year  by  the  dry  process,  and 
the  clothes  of  small-pox,  yellow  fever,  or  cholera  patients  may  be  worn  with 
impunity  after  being  submitted  to  the  process.  All  forms  of  fermentation, 
germs  of  disease,  bacteria,  or  invisible  organisms  yield  to  its  power,  and  if 
the  water  which  has  been  used  to  absorb  gas  be  used  as  a  gargle,  or  drank, 
it  will  be  found  a  splendid  specific  for  diphtheria,  or  other  contagious  dis- 
eases, besides  being  excellent  in  cases  of  roup  and  cholera  in  fowls.  Its 
wonderful  powers  of  preservation  entitle  it  to  be  named  the  destroyer  of 
diseases,  for  decay  and  putrefaction  are  the  same  as  diseases.  Should  you 
have  any  difficulty  burning  sulphur,  melt  it  in  a  small  pot  or  crucible,  and 
then  draw  a  wick  of  a  lamp  through  it.  When  wanted  for  use  cut  off  a 
piece  of  the  wick.  The  reason  why  sulphur  does  not  burn  freely  at  times  is 
because  it  melts  and  smothers  the  flame.  Here  is  another  process,  the  in- 
vention of  J.  M.  Bain.    We  have  not  tried  it,  but  it  is  well  known  as 

Ike  Havana  Process. — Take  twenty-four  gallons  of  water,  put  it  in 
twelve  pounds  of  unslacked  lime  and  four  pounds  of  salt.  Stir  it  well 
several  times  a  day,  and  then  let  it  stand  and  settle  until  perfectly  clear. 
Then  draw  off  twenty  gallons  of  the  clear  lime  and  3a!t  water.  By  putting 
a  spigot  m  the  barrel  about  four  inches  from  the  bottom  you  can  draw  oft 
the  ciear  water  and  leave  the  settlings.  Then  take  five  ounces  baking  soda, 
five  onn^ea  cream  of  tartar,  five  ounces  saltpetre,  five  ounces  borax  and  ono 
ounce  arauii  pulverize  these,  rtt  *nd  dissolve  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water* 


64  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POUZTRY  BOOK. 

which  should  be  poured  into  your  twenty  gallons  lime  water.  This  will  fill 
a  whiskey  barrel  about  half  full,  and  the  barrel  holds  about  150  dozen  eggs. 
Let  the  water  stand  one  inch  above  the  eggs.  Cover  with  an  old  cloth.,  and 
put  a  bucket  of  the  settlings  over  it.  Do  not  let  the  cloth  hang  over  the 
barrel.  After  being  in  the  liquid  thirty  days  the  eggs  may  be  taken  out  and 
packed  in  boxes  and  shipped.  Do  not  use  the  same  pickle  but  one.  You 
need  not  wait  to  get  a  barrel  full,  but  put  in  the  eggs  at  any  time.  As  the 
water  evaporates  add  more,  as  the  eggs  must  always  be  covered  with  the 
liquid.  It  does  not  hurt  the  eggs  to  remain  in  the  pickle.  It  is  claimed 
that  this  process  will  keep  them  a  year. 

The  next  is  one  that  we  believe  to  be  excellent,  and  as  a  credit  to  the 
source  from  which  we  obtained  it,  we  term  it 

The  Scientific  American  Process. — Having  filled  a  clean  keg  or  barrel 
with  fresh  eggs,  cover  the  eggs  with  cold  salicylic  water.  The  eggs  miut 
be  kept  down  by  a  few  small  boards  floating  on  the  water,  and  the  whole 
covered  with  cloth  to  keep  out  dust.  If  set  in  a  cool  place  the  eggs  so 
packed  will  keep  fresh  for  months,  but  they  must  be  used  as  soon  as  taken 
out  of  the  brine.  To  make  the  salicylic  solution,  dissolve  salicylic  acid 
(the  cost  of  which  is  trifling),  in  boiling  water,  one  teaspoonful  of  acid  to 
the  gallon.  It  is  not  necessary  to  boil  all  the  water,  as  the  acid  will  dis- 
solve in  a  less  quantity,  and  the  rest  may  be  added  to  the  solution  cold. 
The  »olution,  or  brine,  should  at  no  time  come  in  contact  with  any  metal. 
In  a  clean,  airy  cellar  one  brine  is  sufficient  for  three  months  or  more; 
otherwise  it  should  be  renewed  oftener.  For  that  purpose  the  kegs,  etc., 
should  have  a  wooden  spigot  to  draw  off  liquid  and  replenish  the  vessel. 
Butter  kneaded  in  the  same  solution  and  packed  tight  in  clean  stone  jars 
will  keep  fresh  the  whole  winter,  but  must  be  covered  with  muslin  satu- 
rated in  the  water,  renewing  it  sometimes.  Cover  the  jars  with  blotting 
paper  saturated  with  glycerine.  Salicylic  acid  is  harmless,  and  yet  one  of 
the  best  and  certainly  most  pleasant  disinfectants  in  existence,  with  no 
color  nor  taste.  The  water  is  an  excellent  tooth  wash,  and  the  best  gargle 
to  prevent  diphtheritic  contagion. 

The  different  processes  below  are  taken  from  the  journals  mentioned  in 
the  titles: 

The  Poultry  Messenger  Process. — Eggs  will  soon  become  cheap  compara- 
tively, and  methods  for  keeping  them  will  be  inquired  for.  Smearing  the 
shells  with  linseed  oil  is  reported  to  be  a  good  way.  Hub  the  oil  over  the 
egg  with  the  tip  of  the  finger,  and  suffer  it  to  become  dry  on  the  shell. 
Eggs  rubbed  over  with  flaxseed  oil  in  three  months  lost  four  per  cent.,  and 
in  six  months  lour  and  a  half  per  cent,  of  their  weight,  and  when  opened 
were  found  to  be  fresh,  with  the  smell  of  fresh  eggs.  Eggs  not  so  treated 
lost  eleven  per  cent,  of  their  weight  in  three  months,  and  in  six  months 
thirteen  per  cent. 

The  New  England  Farmer  Process. — The  plan  of  a  French  chemist  for 
preserving  eggs  is  as  follows:  While  quite  fresh  they  are  gently  struck 
against  each  other  to  see  if  they  be  "sound;"  next  they  are  placed  in  a 
kind  of  earthen  pitcher  having  a  very  narrow  bottom.  When  the  vessel  is 
full,  a  solution  of  a  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  quick  lime  to  one  quart  of  water 
is  poured  in.  The  lime  water  permeates  the  shell  till  it  reaches  the  first 
membrane,  reudering  the  latter  impervious.  The  pitchers  are  then  placed 
in  a  cellar  from  which  all  light  is  excluded,  but  a  uniform  temperature  ol 
44°  to  46°  Fahr.  is  maintained.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  a  pellicle  forms 
on  the  surface  of  the  water  in  each  oitcber  (carbonate  of  lime),  and  that 


STANDARD    AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


Go 


must  never  be  broken  till  the  moment  for  withdrawing  the  eggs.  This  pro- 
cess enables  the  eggs  to  be  kept  fresh  for  six  or  eight  months,  and  not  more 
than  five  in  a  thousand  prove  objectionable.— Poultry  Keeper. 

Golden  Penciled  Hambnrghs. — The  Penciled  Hamburghs  are  very 
minutely  and  beautifully  marked.  The  cocks  do  not  exhibit  the  pencilings. 
They  should  have  bright,  double  combs,  which  are  firmly  fixed  upon  the 
head,  ending  in  a  point  which  turns  upward,  well  defined  deaf  ears,  taper 
blue  legs,  and  ample  tails.  The  carriage  of  the  cock  is  gay  and  majestic; 
his  shape  ia  symmetrical.    The  hens  should  have  the  body  clearly  penciled 


^m 


Golden  Pencilea  Hamburghs/, 

across  with  several  bars  of  black,  and  the  hackle  in  both  sexes  should  b* 
free  from  dark  marks.  These  birds  are  imported  in  large  numbers  froi^ 
Holland  and  England,  from  whence  we  derive  the  breed. 

There's  Money  in  Dncks. — How  much  will  it  cost  to  raise  a  duck  to 
eight  weeks  old  ?  is  the  questiou  I  have  ask«d  parties  who  have  been  in  the 
business  for  years.  Most  of  them  say  25  cents,  some  20  cents,  and  a  very 
few  30  cents.  Now,  I  thought  I  would  try  a  little  experiment  and  satisfy 
myself,  as  to  just  what  it  would  cost  to  raise  a  duck  to  the  age  of  eighf 
weeks,  at  which  age  those  engaged  in  the  dressing  of  ducks  for  the  Boston 
markets  will  buy  them.    I  purchased  425  common  mixed  ducks'  eggs,  from 


66  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

different  parties.  These  were  put  in  the  Monarch  incubator,  June  1.  They 
were  tested  in  one  week,  and  a  good  many  infertile  ones  were  found, 
reducing  the  number  to  340.  There  were  hatched  from  these  323  live  ducks, 
some  of  which  being  weak,  soon  died.  They  were  put  in  two  broods,  and 
had  artificial  heat  just  ten  days;  none  died  after  they  were  six  days  old.  I 
raised  nearly  300  of  them,  and  at  the  age  of  eight  weeks  they  were  sold  to 
the  carts.  These  ducks  were  confined  to  small  yards,  and  oould  get  noth- 
ing to  eat  except  what  was  given  to  them.  They  were  fed  on  corn  meal, 
fine  feed,  and  ground  beef  scraps,  and  the  last  two  weeks  some  cracked 
corn.  Ground  oyster  shells  were  kept  by  them,  all  the  time.  The  cost  of 
feed  and  oil  used  in  hatching  was  11M  cents  each.  These  ducks  were  not 
stinted  in  feed,  being  quite  fat  when  sold.  The  price  paid  for  meal  was 
62  cents  per  bushel,  fine  feed,  $1.20  per  cwt.,  and  $2.25  per  cwt.  for  scraps. 
Now  these  parties  that  I  talked  with  about  raising  ducks  allow  them  to  run 
in  pastures,  where  a  portion  of  their  feed  is  picked  up,  and  they  can  raise  a 
duck  for  2  cents  less  than  I  did,  the  price  of  grain  being  the  same.  I  have 
50  nice  Pekin  ducks  now,  and  shall  be  prepared  another  season  to  raise  a 
better  quality  of  young  ducks  for  market.  I  feed  the  laying  ducks  the  same 
as  I  do  the  laying  hens. — R.  G.  Buffingtony  Bristol  County,  Mass.}.in  Farm 
and  Home. 

Boiled  Grain  for  Fattening  Fowls._J_t  has  long  been  a  custom  with 
French  poultry  raisers  to  cook  the  grain  fed  to  fattening  fowls.  This  is 
done  by  boiling  it  in  water  until  soft  enough  to  be  easily  bruised  between 
the  fingers.  At  this  stage  the  grain  has  swollen  so  that  the  farina,  splitting 
the  membrane  which  surrounds  it,  gives  it  a  bursted  appearance.  Poultry 
feeders  generally  know  that  fowls  prefer  the  cooked  grains  to  dry  food,  and 
that  they  thrive  better  and  fatten  quicker  upon  it.  There  is  also  a  decided 
gain  in  the  bulk  of  food  treated  in  this  way,  and  its  nutritive  value  is 
increased,  as  the  following  shows: 

Four  pints  of  oats  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  seven  times. 

Four  pints  of  barley  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  ten  times. 

Four  pints  of  buckwheat  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  fourteen  times. 

Four  pints  of  maize  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  fifteen  times. 

Four  pints  of  wheat  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  ten  times. 

Four  pints  of  rye  boiled  will  fill  a  pint  measure  fifteen  times. 

Bice  increases  in  bulk  considerably  more  than  either  of  the  six  grains 
mentioned  above.  It  is  fed  more  to  fowlsnow  than  formerly,  as  it  is  gener- 
ally believed  that  it  tends  to  whiten  the  meat.  Some  poultry  men  claim 
that  no  saving  is  made  in  boiling  the  food,  notwithstanding  its  increase  in 
bulk,  as  there  seems  to  be  a  corresponding  lessening  of  its  sufficing  proper- 
ties; that  seven  pints  of  boiled  oats  will  be  consumed  in  the  same  time  and 
by  the  same  number  of  fowls  as  four  pints  of  the  dry  grain.  On  these 
"pints"  we  shall  be  pleased  to  have  the  experience  of  our  readers. 
Doubtless  most  of  them  will  agree  that  a  partial  diet  of  cooked  food  is  best 
for  fowls,  even  though  it  effects  no  perceptible  saving  in  the  amount  it  takes 
to  produce  given  results.  It  occurs  to  us  that  even  admitting  that  it  takes 
no  less  of  the  cooked,  if  the  fowls  fatten  quicker  and  thrive  better,  it  is  a 
matter  of  economy  to  use  the  boiled  rather  than  the  dry  grain. 

White  Shanghaes — The  plumage  of  this  variety  of  fowls  is  entirely 
white,  with  the  legs  usually  feathered,  and  differs  in  no  material  respect  from 
the  red,  yellow,  and  Dominique,  except  in  color.    The  legs  are  yellowish, 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK, 


6? 


it  reddish-yellow.  Many  prefer  them  to  all  others.  Being  more  quiet  in 
their  habits,  and  less  inclined  to  ramble,  the  hens  are  invaluable  as  incuba- 
tors and  nurse;  and  the  mildness  of  their  disposition  makes  them  excellent 
foster-mothers,  as  they  never  injure  the  chickens  belonging  to  other  hens. 
These  fowls  will  rank  among  the  largest  coming  from  China,  and  are  very 


thrifty  In  our  climate.    A  cock  of  this  variety  attained  a  weight  of  eighl 
pounds,  at  about  the  age  of  eight  months. 

Sod  Houses  for  Chickens— The  sod  house  Is  a  great  convenience  in 
regions  where  timber  and  sawmills  are  scarce.  It  is  very  handy  even  in 
Oiher  places.  In  frozen-up  localities  every  foot  which  is  dug  down  into  the 
garth  increases  the  warmth.    Where  warmth  and  light  can  at  once  be  se> 


68  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR, 

cured  in  underground  houses,  therefore,  a  great  problem  is  solyed.  A  lady, 
Mrs.  Lincoln,  has  solved  it  in  the  case  of  sod  poultry  houses.  She  describes 
in  The  Rural  New  Yorker  the  house  she  has  made.  She  says:  The  best 
winter-laying  my  hens  ever  did  was  when  they  lived  in  a  "  sod  house."  A 
pen  was  built  and  a  door  frame  was  set  into  it  on  the  most  sheltered  side 
and  sods  built  over  and  around  it,  making  the  foundation  about  three  feet 
broad.  Earth  was  liberally  heaped  over  all,  and  a  ventilating  tube,  8x10 
inches,  was  set  in  the  top  like  a  chimney. 

The  most  successful  cheap  contrivance  ever  used  for  saving  the  little 
pitilul  chicks  is  a  hole  dug  in  the  ground,  not  over  eight  inches  deep.  A 
box,  with  an  opening  on  the  most  sheltered  side,  is  set  into  the  hole,  and 
the  entire  thing  is  snugly  banked  up  with  earth.  Make  a  long,  sloping 
opening  in  front.  Put  one  brood  in  each  place  of  the  kind,  and  feed  with 
screenings  and  crumbs  from  the  table,  and  see  how  well  it  pays.  If  you 
give  them  drink  enough  they  will  not  be  stunted  in  size.  An  old  salt  bar- 
rel, sawed  in  halves,  or,  for  small  fowls,  even  a  nail  keg,  laid  on  its  side  in 
the  hole  and  banked  up,  or  with  sods  built  up  around  it,  will  answer  well. 

Crop-Bound  Fowls. — I  take  a  sharp  knife,  open  crop  near  the  top, 
cutting  a  slit  about  one  inch  long,  through  both  outer  and  inner  skins.  I 
now  remove  contents  of  crop  through  opening  thus  made,  and  wash  out  the 
inside  of  the  crop  with  tepid  water.  I  now  inclose  the  inside  of  crop  skin, 
and  sew  it  up  with  surgeon's  silk,  then  close  and  sew  up  the  outside  skin 
and  apply  a  little  fresh  lard.  I  keep  the  fowl  in  a  warm,  dry  place,  and 
feed  it  with  soft  food  for  one  week  and  give  very  little  water  for  three  or 
four  days.    In  two  weeks  the  fowl  will  be  as  well  as  ever. 

A  few  weeks  ago  I  performed  the  above  operation  on  a  chick  four  weeks 
old.  He  got  better  right  away,  and  is  now  a  beautiful  bird.  About  ten 
days  ago  I  operated  on  an  old  hen,  but  she  was  too  far  gone  and  died.  I 
believe  almost  all  might  be  saved  if  the  operation  was  performed  before  the 
system  was  too  much  run  down,  as  was  the  case  with  my  last  patient.— 
Poultry  Keeper. 

Ija  Fleche  Fowls. — We  give  an  engraving  of  a  pair  of  La  Fleche  fowls. 
We  do  not  deem  them  a  fowl  that  can  be  reared  with  any  safety  or  satisfac- 
tion in  any  climate  but  a  southern  one.  In  appearance  the  La  Fleche  breed 
resembles  the  Spanish,  from  which  we  believe  it  to  have  been  at  least  partly 
derived.  Both  sexes  have  a  large,  long  body,  standing  on  long  and  power- 
ful legs,  and  always  weighing  more  than  it  appears,  on  account  of  the  dense 
and  close-fitting  plumage.  The  leg's  are  slate  color,  turning  with  age  to  a 
leaden-gray.  The  plumage  is  a  dense  black.  The  look  of  the  head  is  pecu- 
liar, the  comb  being  two-horned.  The  wattles  are  long,  of  a  brilliant  red 
color,  like  the  comb.  The  ear-lobes  are  dead  white.  In  fact,  no  breed  could 
show  stronger  traces  of  its  Spanish  origin. 

Profitable  Experience  in  Poultry  Raising—To  show  how  poultry 
raising  may  be  made  as  profitable  perhaps  as  labor  in  the  workshop,  writes 
a  farmer,  here  are  the  details  of  what  the  wife  of  a  small  farmer  in  my 
neighborhood  is  doing: 

She  wintered  thirty-seven  hens  and  two  roosters;  and  during  this  time 
the  flock  laid  nearly  eggs  enough  to  pay  the  cost  of  their  food.  Early  in 
March  she  began  setting  the  hens  as  fast  as  they  brooded. 

By  the  middle  of  May  she  had  141  chickens,  and  had  only  lost  two.  She 
is  going  to  keep  on  setting  hens  until  July,  when  she  will  probably  have  at 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


69 


/east  300  chickens.  In  June  the  earliest  will  be  two-and-a-half  to  three  months 
old,  plump  and  suitable  for  broilers.     For  them  she  will  obtain  a  high 


price.  As  the  summer  advances,  prices  will  gradually  fall,  but  even 
through  autumn  chickens  pay  a  fair  profit,  and  during  the  whole  time  she' 
will  be  selling  eggs,  perhaps  enough  to  pay  for  the  feed  of  the  flock.  /        ~i 


70  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

Now,  as  to  the  fixtures  to  "carry  on  this  business:  There  is  a  cheap,  we$ 
ventilated  pouHry  house,  and  old  flour  barrels  with  one  head  taken  out 
chiefly  used  for  nests  and  for  coops.  The  chickens  are  weaned  when  six 
weeks  old,  and  placed  in  the  barn  at  night,  where  they  sit  safe  and  warm 
on  the  thrashing  floor  till  morning.  They  are  given  feed,  a  drink  of 
skimmed  milk,  and  left  to  wander  arouDd  the  ground  at  will.  The  barn 
door  is  left  open  to  the  south,  so  they  can  go  in  for  feed  and  drink  as  olten 
as  they  desire,  and  also  for  shelter  if  it  rains;  tut  as  the  hens  have  been 
let  out  of  their  coops  since  the  chickens  were  a  week  old,  they  grow  up 
quite  hardy  and  don't  mind  a  little  rain. 

The  soil  here  is  admirably  suited  for  raising  chickens,  it  being  a  light 
gravel,  which  dries  immediately  after  a  rain,  and  is  consequently  never 
muddy. 

When  setting  a  hen,  a  piece  of  dry  turf  is  out  12  to  16  inches  square,  hol- 
lowed out  a  lrjtle  on  the  under  side,  so  as  to  make  a  corresponding  hollow 
on  the  upper,  to  safely  hold  the  eggs.  The  turf  is  now  laid  on  the  bottom 
of  the  coop  of  barrel,  grass  side  up,  and  the  eggs  placed  upon  it.  A  little 
sulphur  is  sprinkled  around  the  neck  of  the  hen,  beginning  close  to  the 
head,  also  on  her  rump  and  under  the  wings.  This  kills  lice  if  she  hap- 
pen to  have  nny.  The  turf  has  the  advantage  of  keeping  warm  while  the 
hen  is  off  to  feed,  drink,  and  wallow  in  the  dirt,  and  it  also  prevents  the 
egg-shells  from  getting  so  hard  and  dry  as  to  make  it  difficult  for  the 
chickens  to  pick  themselves  out.  After  hatching,  the  turf  is  removed  and  a 
peck  or  more  of  sand  or  loam  is  put  in  to  keep  it  sweet  and  clean.  This  is 
renewed  weekly. 

Coal  As^es  for  tlie  Hen-House. — A  New  Jersey  correspondent  of  the 
Prairie  Farmer  says:  "  In  the  autumn  and  winter,  each  morning  the  ashes- 
aud  refuse  from  our  stoves,  mostly  from  burned  coal,  was  sifted  over  the 
droppings  from  the  roosts.  This  was  a  perfect  deodorizer,  and  kept  every- 
thing clean  and  sweet.  I  soon  began  to  notice  that  the  fowls  were  intently 
pecking  at  the  small  bits  of- coal  or  slate,  both  in  the  sieve  and  that  which 
had  passed  through  it.  Eventually  they  became  very  fond  of  the  diet, 
evincing  as  touch  interest  as  would  be  excited  by  any  choice  dish  set  apart 
for  their  special  delectation.  I  was  sometimes  alarmed  for  the  throats  as  I 
saw  them  laboring  with  the  large  and  ill-formed  pieces;  but  they  were  al- 
ways successful  in  their  efforts.  I  suppose  that,  besides  their  beneficial 
effect  as  triturants,  they  exert  a  good  effect  from  the  chemical  constituents  of 
the  original  vegetable  matter  of  which  the  coal  is  formed.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  the  flock  has  thriven  and  grown  more  healthy,  and  the  layers  have 
quite  distinguished  themselves  in  the  production  of  eggs." 

Gray  Barkings. — These  fowls  are  square  and  compact  in  form,  with 
short  legs,  short  neck,  and  heavy  breast,  giving  a  greater  proportion  of  de- 
sirable flef  h  to  the  amount  of  offal  than  almost  any  other  fowl.  They  fatten 
easily,  and  this,  with  the  other  desirable  qualities  mentioned,  makes  them 
favorites  with  those  who  deal  iu  dressed  puultry.  The  Dorking  lays  well, 
and  make?  a  good  mother.  The  legs  should  be  straight,  short,  stout,  clean, 
perfectly  *Vee  from  feathers,  spurred  on  the  inside,  white,  with  a  flesh- 
colored  tinge  between  the  scales. 

Raising  Chielcens  on  the  Farm. — Last  year,  writes  a  correspondent, 
we  tried  an  experiment  with  raising  chickens,  and  were  so  well  pleased 
with  the  result  that  we  are  raising  them  in  the  same  way  this  year. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


71 


Chickens  on  a  farm  are  by  many  condemned,  for  the  reason  that  they 
destroy  more  than  they  are  worth ;  but  I  think  by  the  following  method  that 
chickens  can  be  raised  at  a  good  profit  even  on  a  farm: 

Last  spring  my  first  brood  of  chickens  came  off  about  the  last  week  in 
April.  I  took  them  away  from  the  hen,  putting  them  in  a  small,  dry  pen, 
fitted  up  with  an  old  blanket,  under  which  they  migbt  go  when  they  wanted 
hovering.  I  made  a  small  yard  for  them  where  they  might  run  in  the 
warm,  dry  weather,  with  a  spot  of  green  grass,  and  also  spaded  up  a  place 
for  them  to  wallow  in.    They  lived  and  seemed  to  flourish  equally  as  well  as 


Gray  Dorkings. 

if  under  the  care  of  the  mother  hen.  In  a  week  I  made  an  addition  to  ay 
flock  by  putting  in  another  brood.  These  seemed  to  get  along  as  well  it  ^ot 
better  than  the  first  brood,  for  the  older  ones  would  serve  to  keep,  (5ae 
younger  ones  warm  on  cold  nigbts.  I  kept  adding  to  my  pen  until  I  had 
fifty-five  chickens,  all  the  way  from  one  day  to  six  weeks  old. 

They  were  kept  confined  until  the  youngest  chicks  were  two  weeks  old, 
when  I  gave  them  their  liberty.  They  never  strayed  away  from  their  pen 
but  a  short  distance,  always  to  be  seen  about  the  barnyard  or  near  «heir 
pens,  and  just  as  happy  as  if  with  a  hen.  I  never  feed  them  except  in  their 
yard,  and  when  they  are  hungry  there  is  where  you  would  find  them.  At 
night  or  during  a  shower  they  would  always  be  found  in  their  pens,  thereby 


72  STAND ARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

saving  the  trouble  of  hunting  all  over  the  farm  after  them.  Not  having  a 
mother  to  lead  them  off  into  the  grain  fields  or  gardens,  they  did  not  tread 
down  the  grf*in  or  destroy  any  vegetables.  Neither  did  they  get  drabbled 
in  the  wet  grass  by  following  a  hen  on  her  morning  rounds.  Nor  did  they 
get  far  enough  away  from  the  trees  and  buildings  to  be  caught  by  hawks  or 
prowling  foxes  or  skunks,  as  some  of  them  certainly  would  have  been  if 
with  a  hen.  We  did  not  lose  a  chicken  by  the  hawks  last  summer.  Whole 
number  lost,  seven,  which  died,  as  chickens  always  will,  from  no  assigna- 
ble cause,  leaving  forty-eight  sound  chickens  for  market  or  home  consump- 
tion. The  cost  of  feeding  had  been  but  slight;  the  bother  had  been  scarcely 
anything;  the  time  spent  had  been  a  real  pleasure;  the  crops  destroyed  by 
them  were  none;  the  six  hens,  which  if  allowed  to  go  with  the  chicks  would 
have  been  of  no  profit,  had  laid  a  number  of  dozen  of  eggs,  and  the 
chickens  were  larger  and  in  better  condition  than  if  they  had  followed  the 
hens.    I  think  this  is  the  best  way  to  raise  chickens  on  the  farm4 

Jimsts  forr  aitting  Hens—Mistakes  are  made  with  the  nests  of  sitting 
hens.  Too  many  are  made  that  are  so  small  that  the  hen  is  unable  to  per- 
form her  duties  of  sitting  down  upon  and  stirring  the  eggs  without  smashing 
one  or  two.  A  roomy  nest  should  be  supplied— not  too  large — having  at 
bottom  of  rather  soft  material  resting  on  dirt,  with  a  plenty  of  straw  well 
packed  about  the  sides.  Such  a  nest,  especially  early  in  the  season,  is  very 
desirable,  retaining  as  it  does  the  heat  for  a  much  longer  time  than  a  care- 
lessly made  nest  of  loose  hay  in  a  box.  The  best  receptacle  for  a  nesf 
where  one  has  plenty  of  room  is  an  ordinary  flour  barrel.  Cut  in  the  side 
a  hole  large  enough  for  one  hen  to  pass  through,  and  then  hinge  a  small 
door  to  open  and  shut  at  pleasure.  The  advantage  of  such  a  nest  is  thaC 
nothing  can  be  more  secluded.  There  are  no  draughts  of  cold  air  sucking 
through  the  cracks  into  the  nests.  They  are  easily  inspected  if  not  made 
too  deep,  and  there  is  ample  space  for  any  hen  within  the  barrel.  A  door 
prevents  the  hen  from  looking  out  much  better  than  a  wire  screen.  A  hen 
that  cannot  see  all  that  is  going  on  outside  is  less  restless.— Ihe  Poultry 
World. 

A  Plea  for  the  Hens— Dr.  C.  A.  Robinson,  in  the  Planter  and  Stock- 
man, puts  in  a  plea  for  the  better  care  of  the  poultry  yard,  as  follows: 

As  we  conduct  our  stock  farming,  we  prepare  the  very  best  of  homes 
for  our  stock,  yet  never  so  much  as  give  a  thought  to  the  poultry.  Every 
day,  as  regularly  as  we  eat,  we  feed  our  horses  and  cattle,  and  take  special 
pains  to  water  them.  We  slop  the  hogs  as  carefully  as  we  feed  the  horses, 
yet  if  a  poor  chicken,  driven  by  hunger,  flies  into  the  hog  pen  to  pick  up  a 
few  grains  of  corn,  we  make  a  specialty  of  throwing  rocks  and  clubs  at  it, 
and  if  perchance  we  kill  one,  we  proceed  to  devour  it  for  dinner,  yet  we 
expect  the  poultry  and  eggs  to  buy  our  groceries  and  many  other  things. 
We  dread  to  feed  the  chickens  in  the  winter  unless  they  are  continually 
dropping  eggs.  We  say  we  can  see  no  profit  in  feeding  hens  when  they  do 
not  pay  their  way;  yet  we  go  on  and  on  stuffing  the  shotes,  cramming  the 
calves,  housing  the  lambs,  and  taking  care  of  the  colts,  which  produce  not 
a  single  cent  for  their  board  except  thek  prospective  worth  when  they  are 
full  grown,  while  chickens,  if  they  have  the  same  care  and  housing  that  the 
other  stock  gets,  will  pay  for  themselves  many  times  over.  There  are 
many  men  living  on  farms  who  are  not  fitted  to  do  general  farming,  who 
could  make  a  success  as  poultry  specialists. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


73 


Dark    Brahma   Fowls   and    Dwclt-wing    Game    Bantams— The 

characteristics  of  the  two  breeds  of  fowls  in  our  illustration  are  nearly 
identical,  save  in  size.  In  courage  and  endurance  the  Bantams  are  not 
behind  their  larger  relatives,  and  in  constitution  they  are  much  hardier 
than  any  of  the  Bantam  breeds.  The  plumage  of  the  Duck- wing  Bantam? 
is  precisely  similar  to  that  of  the  larger  breed,  from  which  they  were 


DarTc  Brahma  Fowls  and  Duck-Wing  Game  Bantams. 


undoubtedly  obtained  by  long  inter-breeding  with  the  smallest  specimens. 
The  carriage  and  form  are  also  similar;  but  the  drooping  wing  of  the  Ban* 
tarn  breed  is  not  to  be  observed  in  the  game  variety.  In  weight  the  cock 
does  not  exceed  one  and  a  half  pounds,  while  that  of  th«  hen  is  about 
twenty  oxinces. 

The  Dark  Brahma  fowls  are  claimed  by  many  breeders  to  be  the  bert 


74  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

of  the  Brahma  variety.  The  head  of  the  cock  should  be  surmounted  with 
what  is  termed  a  "  pea-comb,"  which  resembles  three  small  combs  running 
parallel  the  length  of  the  head,  the  center  one  the  highest;  beak  strong, 
well  curved;  wattles  full;  ear  lobes  red,  well  rounded,  and  falling  below 
wattles;  the  breast  should  be  full  and  broad;  wings  small,  and  well  tucked 
up  under  the  saddle-feathers  and  tbigh  fluff.  The  markings  of  the  hen, 
except  the  neck  and  tail,  are  the  same  all  over,  each  feather  having  a  dingy 
white  ground,  closely  penciled  with  dark  steel  gray. 

A  Cheap  Poultry  House. — Select  an  eastern  or  southern  slope,  if  con- 
venient. Dig  a  basement  seven  feet  deep,  sixteen  feet  long  by  twelve  feet 
wide,  on  each  side  of  which  make  lath  pens,  four  feet  one  way  by  two  feet 
the  other  way,  which  will  give  you  sixteen  pens  in  which  to  set  your  hens. 
In  a  basement  like  this  you  can  set  hens  very  early,  and  in  the  summer  can 
hatch  to  better  advantage,  as  the  temperature  is  more  even  at  times.  One 
window  will  furnish  all  the  light  the  hens  will  need.  If  you  wish  to  set 
more  than  sixteen  hens,  you  can  make  double  tiers  of  nests,  one  above  the 
other.  By  having  the  coops  four  feet  on  each  side  it  leaves  a  four-foot  walk 
between.  The  front  of  the  coop  should  be  made  of  laths,  in  the  shape  of 
sliding  doors.  Brick  up  the  side  walls,  and  put  in  two  or  three  inches  of  tin 
chips,  and  cover  over  with  dirt  or  sand  for  a  floor,  board  over  the  top  and 
cover  over  with  tin  chips  and  sand,  thus  making  a  rat-proof  cellar  and  one 
not  liable  to  freeze.  On  top  of  this,  build  a  chicken  house  of  boards  with 
single  roof  for  the  roosting  purposes.  Attach  a  run  fifty  feet  long,  eight 
feet  wide,  and  four  feet  high. 

A  Practical  Roost._A  correspondent  of  American  Poultry  Yard  says; 
"  I  have  in  use  in  my  poultry  houses,  roosts  differing  from  any  I  have  evei 
seen  or  heard  of,  and  thinking  some  of  your  readers  might  take  advantage 
of  it,  I  send  you  a  description.  I  have  found  it  the  most  practical  of  any- 
thing T  have  ever  tried.  Lt  consists  of  two  pieces  of  inch  board,  four  to  six 
inches  wide  according  to  the  weight  they  have  to  sustain,  and  of  the  required 
length,  suspended  from  the  ceiling  of  the  house,  near  the  sides,  by  3-8  inch 
iron  rods  at  the  ends  of  each  piece.  The  rods  have  a  square  hook  bent 
in  the  lower  ends  to  fit  the  boards  and  a  loop  in  the  other  to  pass 
over  hooks  driven  in  the  ceiling.  Across  these  wooden  pieces  are  laid 
the  roosts  proper  of  scantling  or  whatever  the  person  may  choose  to  use. 
The  advantage  consists  in  the  roosts  not  being  connected  with  the  building 
in  any  way  except  by  the  rods,  which  I  keep  smeared  with  tar.  This  pre- 
vents the  walls  from  harboring  vermin,  also  the  floor,  which  is  the  case 
when  they  stand  upon  the  posts.  Nothing  is  nailed  fast,  and  the  whole 
thing  can  be  taken  apart,  carried  out  and  saturated  with  coal  oil  all  over 
and  set  fire  to  if  you  choose,  which  is  unnecessary,  as  I  think  the  oil  does 
more  good  left  on.  To  be  sure,  the  frame  work  rocks  some  when  the  fowls 
get  off  in  the  morning,  but  I  find  this  no  disadvantage. 

Derby  Game  Fowls— The  Derby  Game  is  an  old  breed  of  fowls— one 
to  which  preference  has  been  given  for  years  by  many  breeders  in  this 
country.  They  were  originally  imported  from  Knowlsley,  England,  where 
they  have  been  bred  with  great  care  for  upwards  of  one  hundred  years,  in 
all  their  purity.  The  perfect  markings  of  the  Derby  Game  hens  are:  Head 
fine  and  tapering;  face,  wattles,  and  comb  bright  red;  breast  shaded  with 
roan  and  fawn  eolor;  belly  and  vent  of  an  ash  tint;  primary  wing,  feathers 
And  tail  black*  the  latter  carried  vertically  and  widely  expanded;  legs,  feeti, 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  hOOK.  75 

and  nails  perfectly  white.  The  carriage  of  both  cock  and  hen  of  this  breed 
is  upright  and  dignified.  The  pugnacious  disposition  ox'  the  cock  equals 
that  of  any  other  game  bird. 

How  to  Cure  Egg  Eating—Sometimes  the  habit  is  formed  by  the 
carelessness  of  the  kitchen  maid,  or  housekeeper,  in  throwing  the  egg  shells 
into  the  pail  and  giving  them  with  the  other  waste  to  the  hens.  This  should 
never  be  done,  if  you  want  the  hens  to  respect  their  own  eggs.  Under- 
standing the  cause  of  this  unthrifty  habit,  it  is  not  very  difficult  to  provide 
a  remedy.  From  a  recent  experience,  Ave  have  found  that  the  habit  is  very 
much  broken  by  an  abundant  supply  of  crushed  shells.    It  had  grown  so 


Derby  Game  Fowls. 

bad  in  a  flock  of  twenty  Light  Brahmas,  owing  to  neglect  of  this  ration,  that 
they  devoured  every  egg  without  the  closest  watching,  at  the  cackle  ol 
every  laying  hen.  Giving  the  shells  every  morning,  the  craving  ceased,  and 
we  found  the  eggs  remaining  in  the  nests  undisturbed.  As  an  assistant  to 
this  remedy,  we  manufactured  an  egg  trap  from  a  common  nest  box.  This 
is  so  simple  that  any  one  accustomed  to  the  use  of  tools  can  make  it  in  an 
hour  or  two.  A  slight  inclination  of  the  board  upon  which  the  nest  egg  is 
fastened  will  cause  the  new  laid  egg  to  roll  away  from  under  the  hen,  beyond 
her  reach,  as  soon  as  it  is  dropped.  The  rear  board  has  the  same  inclina- 
tion toward  the  center,  and  projects  over  the  other   board   far  enough 


76  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

to  protect  the  egg  when  it  has  rolled  away.  The  space  between 
the  boards  is  just  wide  enough  to  give  free  passage  to  the  eggs.  The  egg 
box  may  be  lined  with  a  handful  of  sawdust  or  chaff,  to  protect  the  shells 
from  cracking.  If  the  back  board  be  furnished  with  hinges,  it  can  be  used 
as  a  lid,  to  allow  of  the  removal  of  the  eggs.  It  is  a  complete  egg  trap,  and 
with  the  oyster  shells,  in  our  case,  abated  the  nuisance  of  egg  eating. 
Many  think  that  when  a  hen  has  contracted  the  habit  of  egg  eating,  the 
shortest  way  is  the  best,  and  instead  of  eating,  she  is  put  into  a  condition  to 
be  eaten.  But  a  good  layer  is  too  valuable  to  be  given  up  without  an  effort 
to  reform  her  bad  habit,  often  acquired  through  the  negligence  of  the 
owner.  The  egg  trap  works  admirably,  and  secures  the  end  desired  by 
placing  it  out  of  the  power  of  the  hen  to  do  mischief.— American  Agricul- 
turist. 

Tar  in  the  Poultry  House—Poultry  dealers  seem  to  have  failed  to 
discover  the  value  of  tar.  It  is  very  useful  and  valuable  in  many  ways. 
Some  breeders  tar  their  poultry  yard  fences  in  preference  to  whitewashing 
them,  though  we  do  not  like  to  see  it  done,  for  it  gives  the  surroundings 
such  a  gloomy,  forbidding  look.  It  undoubtedly  contributes  largely  to  the 
durability  of  the  wood,  protecting  it  from  the  ravages  of  storm  and  time. 
It  is  in  the  poultry  house,  however,  that  the  value  of  tar  is  the  greatest,  for 
it  conduces  greatly  towards  healthfulness.  When  that  scourge  of  the 
poultryman,  cholera,  makes  its  appearance,  we  would  advise,  first,  a 
thorough  cleaning  of  the  house;  next,  a  generous  application  of  Carolina 
tar  on  all  the  joints,  cracks  and  crevices  of  the  inside  of  the  building,  and 
then  plenty  of  fresh  whitewash  properly  applied.  The  tar  absorbs  or  drives 
away  the  taint  of  disease,  and  makt  s  the  premises  wholesome.  The  smell 
is  not  offensive;  in  fact,  many  people  like  it,  and  it  is  directly  opposite  to 
unhealthy.  To  vermin,  lice,  etc.,  the  smell  of  tar  is  very  repulsive,  and 
but  few  will  remain  alter  you  have  tarred  the  cracks,  etc.  A  friend  of  ours 
in  Maryland  was  once  troubled  with  chicken  cholera,  and  by  adopting  the 
above  in  connection  with  removing  affected  fowls,  he  soon  put  a  stop  to  its 
ravages.  A  small  lump  of  tar  in  the  drinking  water  supplied  to  the  fowl 
will  be  found  beneficial,  provided  it  is  the  Carolina  tar,  which  is  very  dif- 
ferent. —Poultry  World. 

Treatment  of  Setting  Hens— Every  summer  poultry  raisers,  if  they 
have  such  fowls,  are  troubled  more  or  less  with  setting  hens.  Some  of  these 
are  very  obstinate,  and  though  many  signify  their  intention  to  the  hen  of  op- 
posing her  apparent  desire  to  raise  a  family,  by  giving  her  a  narrow  dark- 
ened house,  with  a  tub  or  cuch  like  as  a  principal  figure  head,  she  goes 
around  for  weeks  clucking  and  hunting  her  nest.  Now,  I  want  to  advise 
your  readers,  never  to  put  a  hen  under  a  tub,  or  duck  her  head  in  water, 
or  tie  her  legs  to  break  her  from  sitting  fever,  but  put  her  in  an  open  space, 
enclosed  with  laths,  poles,  etc.,  where  there  is  a  roost,  a  rooster,  and  plenty 
of  food.  If  you  do  not  wish  to  take  time  or  labor  or  space  to  make  a  plac6 
for  night  lodgings,  why,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  transfer  her  to  the  hen  house 
for  the  night,  but  I  prefer  leaving  her  in  the  stall  till  she  proposes  to  begin 
doing  what  she  was  created  for,  that  is,  what  you  wish  her  to  do,  lay  eggs. 
I  find  that  malt  is  an  excellent  food  for  fowls.  I  speak  from  experience.— 
Philip  Raufee,  in  the  American  Rural  Home. 

Silver  Spangled  Bantams— Thes%£>irds  though  small  are  most  beau- 
tiful, and  are  kept  more  as  pretty  pets  than  for  profit.    They  are  full- 


STANDARD  AMEBIC  AN  POULTRY  BOOR. 


n 


breasted,  the  flesh  is  delicate  and  rich,  and  they  consume  food  only  in  pro- 
portion to  their  size.  The  eggs,  too,  are  small.  What  the  Bantam  cock 
lacks  in  size  he  makes  up  in  self-importance,  being  remarkable  for  his 
courageous  and  passionate  temper,  pompous  manners  and  arrogance.  His 
soul  seems  altogether  too  large  for  his  body.  The  Silver  Spangled  Bantams 
have  white  feathers  tipped  with  black,  and  they  are,  in  the  opinion  of  most 
poultry  fanciers,  the  most  beautiful  of  the  Whole  family.  For  perfection  of 
model  and  beauty  of  plumage,  nothing  can  exceed  them. 

Ducks'  Eggs  Under  Hems— Frequent  complaints  are  made  that  ducks* 
eggs,  when  placed  under  hens  to  hatch,  fail  to  produce  a  fair  proportion  of 


#Cffl-G&. 


Silver  Spangled  Bantams. 


live  birds.  The  failures  are  largely  due  to  the  fact  that  the  eggs  are  kept 
too  dry.  It  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  duck  in  setting  a  nest  will,  on 
going  off  to  feed,  have  a  swim  before  she  returns,  and,  as  her  feathers  will 
be  wet  in  consequence,  the  eggs  get  the  benefit  of  it.  Ducks'  eggs,  there- 
fore, when  placed  under  hens,  must  be  kept  moist  or  they  will  not  hatch, 
for  without  the  required  moisture  the  inner  skin  becomes  bard  and  tough, 
so  that  the  bird  cannot  make  its  way  out.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  make  the 
nest  in  a  moist  place;  it  is  also  well  to  sprinkle  the  eggs  with  a  little  warm 
water  when  the  hen  is  off  the  nest. 

The  large  Cochin  or  Brahma  hens  arc  g#od  breeds  to  use  in  hatching 
ducks'  eggs,  as  these  will  cover  a  dozen  eggs  with  ease.  Ducks  are  prolific 
layers,  and  when  the  drake  is  not  more  than  two  years  old  the  eggs  are  very 
fertile.  The  period  of  incubation  for  ducks  is  twenty-eight  days,  but  when 
the  eggs  are  fresh  they  will  often  hatch  a  day  or  two  earlier.  The  eggs 
ought  to  be  as  nearly  equal  in  age  as  possible,  eo  that  all  will  come  out 


38 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


together.    If  the  eggs  are  kept  moist,  as  has  been  suggested,  there  will  be 
little  if  any  loss  during  the  process  of  hatching. 

Should  the  hatching  be  very  irregular  the  ducklings  that  are  dry  may  be 
taken  away  and  put  in  flannel  in  a  basket  near  the  fire.  Eemember  "that 
they  require  considerable  covering;  indeed,  a  light  cushion  placed  over  the 
flawiel  is  a  good  arrangement,  provided  of  course  there  be  ample  ventila- 
tion of  the  sides  to  prevent  the  young  birds  from  smothering.  Unless,  how- 
ever, there  is  considerable  delay  in  hatching,  it  is  better  not  to  disturb  the 
hen  until  hen  and  birds  are  all  ready  to  be  removed. 

A  Cheap  and  Convenient  Hennery— At  this  season  of  the  year, 
when  the  busy  farm  work  is  practically  over,  the  attention  of  the  farmer 
should  be  directed  to  the  repairing  of  his  out-buildings  for  stock,  fowls, 
etc.,  and  the  building  of  such  new  ones  as  have  become  necessary.    In 

this  connction,  we  present  our 
readers  a  plan  for  a  neat  and 
convenient  poultry  house, 
which  will  be  found  both  de- 
sirable and  inexpensive.  Our 
illustration  of  the  building, 
Fig.  1,  shows  the  north  and 
west  sides  only.  The  build- 
ing is  16x20  feet,  16  feet  high 
to  roof  peak.  Fig.  2  repre- 
sents the  inside  of  the  build- 
ing, which  is  described  as 
follows:  C,  roosting  and  gen- 
eral room;  B,  egg-room,  feed- 
room,  etc.;  AAA  are  nests. 
In  the  recess  there  are  three 
rows  of  nests,  one  above  the 
other;  5  is  the  door  opening 
from  the  outside  of  the  build- 
ing; 6,  the  door  opening  from 
feed-room  to  recess,  nest- 
boxes,  and  roosting-room. 
Fig.  3  represents  the  nest- 
boxes,  which  are  13x20  inches 
in  size.  These  boxes  are  all 
movable,  so  that  they  can  be 
arranged  Jo  suit  circum- 
stances. By  raising  a  hinged 
board,  arranged  for  the  purpose,  one  can  readily  examine  the  nests  from 
the  Seed  or  egg-room.  Should  a  hen  wish  to  set,  take  out  one  of  the  nest- 
boxes  and  turn  it  end  for  end,  thereby  placing  the  end  that  is  closed  up  in 
the  roosting-room.  The  egg  or  feed-room  has  shelves  in  it,  and  a  loft  where 
the  feed  is  kept.  Fig.  4  represents  the  roosts,  two  feet  apart.  Fig.  5  repre- 
sents a  flooring  of  boards  with  the  same  slant  as  the  roosts,  but  which 
should  be  placed  two  feet  away  from  the  roost.  The  droppings  falling  on 
these  boards,  roll  down  into  a  trough  at  the  lower  end  as  shown.  The  loft 
above  the  feed-room  is  reached  by  means  of  a  ladder  which  is  made  fast  at 
the  side  of  the  room.  The  construction  of  this  building  is  quite  a  simple 
matter,  and  any  ingenious  farmer  can  build  it  without  the  aid  of  a  carpenter. 


PLAN  OF  HENNERY. 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


FIG.  1.— BABBEL  FOUNTAIN. 


Drinking  Fountains  for  Fowl—Convenient  drinking  fountains  for 
the  fowl  are  a  necessity  about  the  poultry  yard.  We  have  here  illustrated 
two  simple  and  practical  little  fountains,  with  descriptions,  as  follows:  Fig. 
1  shows  a  barrel  fountain,  having  a  small  tube  extending  from  the  cask  to 
a  shallow  dish  or  pan,  which  should  be  small,  so  that  the  fowls  cannot  get 
into  it  and  soil  the  water. 
Fig.  2  shows  a  bottle  foun- 
tain, which  may  be  made  by 
taking  a  two  or  three-inch, 
plank  and  scooping  it  out 
one  and  a  half  inches,  form- 
ing a  shallow  trough;  then 
make  a  frame  similar  to  the 
one  shown  in  illustration, 
and  insert  the  neck  of  the 
bottle,  the  nozzle  reaching 
to  within  three-quarters  of 
an  inch  of  the  bottom  of  the 
trougb.  Either  of  these  de- 
signs will  answer  all  pur- 
poses of  a  cheap  and  handy 
drinking  fountain  for  the 
poultry  yard. 

A  Poultry  House  Costing  $3.85._Experience  has  proved  that  twenty 
fowls,  properly  housed,  provided  with  suitable  food,  pure  water,  clean  nest 
boxes,  plenty  of  dust,  lime  in  some  form,  and  gravel,  will  return  more  clear 
profit  than  fifty  kept  as  they  generally  are  upon  farms.  Suggest  a  good  poul- 
try house  to  the  average  farmer,  and  frequently  there  arises  in  his  mind 
the  image  of  an  elaborate  affair  costing  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.    Not.  being  able  to  spare  that  amount  for  such  a  purpose,  he 

goes  without,  and  his  poul- 
try, exposed  to  the  inclem- 
encies of  the  weather,  are  a 
dead  expense  full  two- 
thirds  of  the  year,  eating 
valuable  food  constantly 
and  yielding  nothing  in  re- 
turn. A  poultry  house 
large  enough  to  properly 
shelter  twenty  fowls  can  be 
erected  at  a  very  small  cost. 
"We  give  a  list  of  all  tha 
materials  of  which,  with 
the  exception  of  the  sash, 
cost  three  dollars  and 
eighty-five  cents.  The  sash  was  taken  from  a  hot-bed  that  is  used  for 
sprouting  sweet  potatoes  in  the  spring.  When  the  sash  is  required  for  the 
hot-bed,  the  season  is  mild  and  the  opening  is  covered  with  boards.  This 
structure  is  nine  feet  wide,  twelve  feet  long,  and  five  feet  high  in  the 
center.  The  short  side  of  the  roof  is  two  feet  long,  and  the  long  side, 
which  fronts  south  and  comes  to  within  eighteen  inches  of  the  ground,  is 
seven  feet.    -At  the  farther  end  of  the  roof,  boards  extend  over  an  opening 


FIG.    2. — BOTTLK   FOUNTAIN. 


8TANVARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


made  for  the  fowls  to  pass  in  and  out.  The  perches  are  one  foot  above  the 
floor,  and  extend  along  the  north  side  of  the  interior.  The  bottom  board 
on  that  side  is  hung  with  hinges  so  it  can  be  raised,  and  the  droppings 
under  the  perches  scraped  out.  The  nest-boxes  are  arranged  along  the 
low  side,  the  dust-box  is  placed  in  the  sunniest  spot,  and  the  feed  and 
water  troughs  near  the  door.  One  pane  of  glass  in  the  sash  is  loose,  so 
that  it  may  be  moved  down  for  ventilation.  The  floor  should  be  covered 
with  sand  when  obtainable;  if  not,  with  straw,  chaff,  or  other  similar 
material  that  can  be  raked  out  when  soiled.  The  whole  interior  should  be 
given  a  coat  of  fresh  lime  whitewash  at  least  four  times  a  year,  and  the 
perches  swabbed  with  kerosene.  Hens  kept  in  this  house  lay  steadily  all 
winter.    The  poultry  bouse  here  described  is  easily  cleaned,  and  answers 

f  the  purpose  nearly  as  well 

as  one  costing  twenty  times 

as  much. 

Fertility  of  Eggs—The 
best  way  to  tell  unfertile 
eggs  at  as  early  a  period  as 
possible  after  being  set  un- 
der a  hen  is  to  remove  her 
on  the  eighth  day  by  candle- 
light, and  hold  each  egg  be- 
tween the  eye  and  the  light 
in  the  manner  represented 
in  our  illustration.  If  the 
eggs  be  fertile  they  will  ap- 
pear opaque  or  dark  all 
over,  except,  perhaps,  a 
small  portion  toward  the 
top;  and  if  they  be  unim- 
pregnated  they  will  be  still 
translucent,  the  light  pass- 
ing through  them  almost  as 
if  new-laid.  After  some  ex- 
perience the  eggs  can  be 
distinguished  at  an  earlier 
period,  and  a  practiced  hand  can  tell  the  unfertile  eggs  even  at  the  fourth  day. 

Eggs  in  the  Household. — Eggs  should  always  be  kept  in  a  cool 
place,  but  where  there  is  no  danger  of  freezing.  In  cold  weather,  they 
will  beat  quicker  and  nicer  if  laid  in  warmish  water  a  little  while  before 
beating.  Wipe  dry  before  breaking.  To  separate  the  yelks  from  the  whites, 
break  gently  in  the  middle,  so  as  to  form  two  cups  of  the  shell.  Carefully 
pour  the  yelk  from  one  cup  into  the  other,  letting  the  white  run  away;  but 
retaining  the  yelk  as  you  pour  back  and  forth,  until  the  separation  is  com- 
plete. Beat  the  yelks  first,  as  they  can  stand  waiting  better  than  the  whites. 
Well  beaten  yelks  grow  several  shades  lighter-colored  by  the  process. 
Beat  the  whites  (with  a  strong  flop)  until  the  foam  is  so  strong  and  dry  that 
you  may  reverse  the  shallow  bowl  in  which  you  beat  them  without  spilling 
the  foam.  In  boiling  eggs,  see  that  they  are  all  perfectly  clean,  and  be  sure 
you  do  not  crack  them  as  you  drop  them  into  the  water.  A  wire  egg-bas- 
ket, or  a  little  wire  dipper,  is  very  useful. 


FERTILITY    OF  EGGS. 


STANDARD   AMERICA   POULTRY  BOOK. 


SI 


Turkeys  as  Pest  Destroyers. — An  exchange,  speaking  of  the  value  of 
turkeys  in  vineyards,  says:  "  Our  vine-growers  are  on  the  lookout  for  tur- 
keys. A  market  for  2,000  or  3,000  young  turkeys  could  be  found  at  the 
leading  vineyards.  They  want  them  to  range  in  the  vineyards  and  catch  the 
slugs  that  are  now  attacking  the  vines.  They  found  the  turkey  an  excel- 
lent hand  at  the  business.  They  would  hire  men  and  set  them  at  work, 
but  a  sufficient  force  is  not  obtainable  when  needed.  But  the  turkey  does 
the  work  nearly  as  well  as  a  man,  and  while  catching  the  worms  is  earning 
his  own  food.  Then,  too,  after  the  worm-catching  season  is  over,  he  will 
sell  for  as  much  or  more  than  he  cost  in  the  first  place,  and,  therefore,  he 
is  a  more  valuable  em- 
ployee than  a  man  would 
be.  We  think  it  would 
pay  the  large  vine-growers 
to  put  up  incubators,  and 
every  spring  have  a  large 
brood  of  young  turkeys 
ready  to  turn  into  the 
vineyards."  fig.  1.— tent  coop. 

Chicken  Coops. — Large  fowls  are  not  as  mischievous  in  the  garden  as 
small  ones,  and  they  can  be  confined  with  less  trouble,  as  they  are  not  as 
expert  with  the  wings.  A  little  old  hen  is  a  perfect  nuisance  in  a  garden. 
Chickens,  on  the  contrary,  are  a  great  assistance  to  the  gardener,  destroy- 
ing a  large  number  of  insects.  Place  your  chicken  coops  in  the  garden- 
walks,  but  be  careful  that  the  hen  is  well  secured,  or  she  will  bury  her- 
self in  your  choicest  beds,  The  form  of  these  coops  is  not  important,  but 
it  is  important  to  have  them  so  constructed  as  to  protect  the  hen  and  her 
family  from  rain-storms,  and  it  is  especially  necessary  that  the  bottoms 

should  be  kept  dry.  They 
should  therefore  be  placed 
on  high  and  dry  ground. 
Our  engraving,  Fig.  1,  rep- 
resents the  old-fashioned 
tent  coop,  which,  though 
quite  common,  is  a  very 
good  style  indeed.  The 
front  only  of  this  coop 
should  be  left  open,  and,  if 
so  constructed,  it  affords 
pretty  good  protection  from 
the  weather. 
In  order  to  protect  the  brood  from  all  the  poultry  enemies,  such  as 
skunks,  weasels,  rats,  etc.,  make  a  coop  with  two  apartments,  as  shown  in 
our  engraving,  Fig.  2.  This  is  called  the  safety  coop.  One  end  of  this 
coop  is  made  box  shape  and  tight,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  auger  holes 
for  ventilation.  Into  this  the  hen  will  always  take  her  brood  for  safety 
during  the  night.  The  side  door  is  then  let  down,  and  all  is  safe  until 
morning. 

Feeding  Cooked  Material— Thfl  feed  for  young  chicks  should  always 
be  cooked,  for  if  this  is  done  there  will  be  less  liability  of  bowel  disease; 
but  the  adult  stock  should  have  whole  grains  a  portion  of  the  time.  By 
cooking  the  food,  one  is  better  enabled  to  feed  a  variety,  as  potatoes,  tur« 


FIG.   2.— SAFETY  COOP. 


to 


STAND ABD  AMEBIC  AN  jPOULTBY  BOOK. 


mps,  beets,  carrots,  and  such  like,  can  be  utilized  with  advantage.  AH  sucfc 
iuaterial  as  bran,  corn  meal,  middlings,  or  ground  oats  should  at  least  ba 
scalded,  if  not  cooked,  which  renders  it  more  digestible  and  more  quickly 
beneficial.  Where  shells  or  lime  are  not  within  reach,  a  substitute  may  be 
had  by  stirring  a  spoonful  of  ground  chalk  in  the  food  of  every  six  hens,  but 
gravel  must  be  provided  where  this  method  is  adopted. 

Egg  Food—The  following  foods  contain  all  the  elements  that  exist  in 
3ggs:  Oats,  wheat,  barley,  corn,  bran,  linseed,  hemp  seed,  rape  seed, 
crushed  fresh  bones,  mustard  seed,  green  cabbage  and  clover;  and  a 
reasonable  mixture  of  ail  these,  varied  more  or  less  with  the  aid  of  crushed 
limestone  and  gypsum,  would  afford  every  element  called  for  to  produce 
a  constant  yield  of  eggs.  A  large  quantity  of  broken  fresh  bones  is  one  of 
the  most  important  aids,  and  with  wheat,  barley,  broken  linseed  oil  cake, 
and  mustard  seed  and  plenty  of  green  vegetables  and  water,  will  provide 
everything  that  is  required. 

Poultry  and  Plums—There  is  probably  no  kind  of  fruit  better  adapted 
to  a  hen  yard  than  the  plum.  And  the  difficulty  of  growing  this  fruit, 
because  of  curculio  attacks,  is  so  far  obviated  by  a  flock  of  hens  that  com- 
bining the  two  is  an  advantage  to  both.    A  farmer  who  had  a  plum  orchard 

from  which  the  fruit  regu- 
larly fell  before  ripe,  never 
succeeded  in  getting  a  crop 
until  he  transferred  his  hens 
to  this  plot  and  kept  them 
there  until  the  plums  were 
ripe.  The  fowls  needed  less 
food  than  when  kept  in  close 
quarters  and  gave  better 
returns. 

Chicken  Pen  or  Hur- 
dle.— Those  desiring  to  pen 
or  fence  in  young  fowls  within  a  small  compass  on  the  lawn  or  in  the  gar- 
den, will  find  in  our  engraving  upon  this  page  a  neat  plan  for  hurdling  in 
young  chicks  or  ducks.  It  is  made  of  one  and  a  half  inch  wire  mesh  net- 
ting, in  pieces  one  foot  high  by  three  feet  long,  and  is  secured  to  wire  spikes 
(as  shown),  so  that  a  fold  of  any  required  size  can  be  fixed  in  two  or  three 
minutes.    The  mesh  can  be  obtained  of  any  dealer  in  wire-work. 

Medicated  Nest  Eggs. — Cut  a  hole  in  one  end  of  an  egg  as  big  as  this 
capital  O.  In  the  other  end  put  a  pin  hole.  Now  blow  out  the  contents 
and  you  have  the  empty  shell.  Next  mix  plaster-of-Paris  and  water  to- 
gether to  the  consistency  of  cream,  add  a  few  drops  of  carbolic  acid.  Pour 
this  into  the  shell  until  it  is  filled,  and  in  twenty-four  hours  it  will  be  dry 
and  you  will  have  a  medicated  nest-egg.  Five  cents  worth  of  plaster-of- 
Paris  will  make  a  dozen,  and  that  amount  of  carbolic  acid  is  sufficient  to 
scent  a  hundred. 

Management  of  Chickens. — As  a  general  rule,  writes  Mr.  G.  M.  T, 
Johnson,  of  Binghamton,  N.  Y.,  do  not  disturb  the  chickens  for  the  first 
twenty-four  hours  after  their  birth,  if  the  hen  will  stay  on  the  nest.  The 
little  things  will  not  take  any  harm  if  they  do  not  eat  for  the  first  forty- 
eight  hours.    The  most  they  Deed  is  brooding.    At  this  period  they  ge* 


CHICKEN  PEN   OB  HURDLE. 


STAND AHl)   AMEUWAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  88 

more  strength  from  it  than  from  food.  As  a  preventive  of  vermin  rub  a 
little  fresh  grease  of  any  kind,  say  the  size  of  a  pea,  on  the  top  of  the 
chickens'  heads  or  backs.  Do  not  put  sulphur  on  the  hen  or  chicka,  as  it 
will  get  in  their  eyes  and  poison  them. 

For  the  first  week  stale  bread  soaked  in  milk  or  water,  or  hard-boiled 
eggs  chopped  fine,  is  best.  Feed  onions  chopped  fine,  and  let  there  be 
handy  some  ground  oyster  shells  or  pieces  of  crockery  pounded  fine.  In- 
dian meal  when  uncooked  is  bad  for  young  chickens.  It  swells  and  har- 
dens in  their  crops.  Indian  pudding  seasoned  with  black  pepper  is  good 
for  the  first  six  weeks0  As  soon  as  they  will  eat  it  cracked  corn  or  wheat  is 
better  for  chickens  than  meal.  They  do  not  waste  as  much,  it  does  not  get 
sour,  and  one  can  have  it  near  by  them  so  that  they  are  not  obliged  to  feed 
so  often.  Do  not  rout  the  little  chickens  out  in  the  morning  before  they  wish 
to  go.  Do  not  let  them  out  in  the  wet.  Feed  little  and  often,  especially  be- 
fore they  retire.  Little  chickeno  are  frequently  fed  in  the  morning  and  not 
again  till  ten  o'clock;  then  they  eat  too  much=  They  are  stuffed  one  hour 
and  starved  the  next.  By  this  means  the  chickens  become  stunted  and 
otherwise  diseased.  Keep  water  near  thorn  in  dishes  so  shallow  that  thej 
will  not  be  drowned.  Do  not  set  the  coop  on  the  cold,  damp  ground.  li 
early  in  the  season  put  the  coop  in  a  barn  or  shed  with  a  floor  to  it.  The 
little  chickens  need  to  be  kept  warm  and  dry.  When  they  stand  on  the 
cold  ground  all  night  they  are  likely  to  be  sick  the  next  day,  and  soon  the 
whole  brood  will  be  dragging  their  wings  on  the  ground,  peeping  piteousiy 
for  a  few  days,  and  then  dying.  Do  not  let  them  outdoors  in  the  rain,  but 
let  them  out  of  the  coop  or  the  uneasy  mother  will  step  on  them.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  put  straw  in  the  coop.  The  little  chickens  get  their  feet  entan- 
gled and  then  the  hen  treads  on  them.  Fine  coal  ashes  are  good  in  the 
coop.  Later  in  the  season,  after  the  ground  gets  dry  and  warm,  put  the 
coop  on  soft  ground  if  it  is  convenient,  and  wprinkle  powdered  sulphur 
over  the  ground.    Change  the  position  of  the  coop  frequently. 

It  is  not  best  to  take  the  hen  away  from  the  chickens  too  early.  As  long 
as  the  chickens  will  brood,  permit  it.  Warmth,  good  brooding  and  protec- 
tion from  the  weather  are  better  for  chicks  than  good  food,  and  the  latter  is 
very  essential.  Many  a  promising  lot  of  chicks  is  ruined  by  getting  chilled 
at  night.  As  soon  as  the  hen  is  taken  away  the  chicks  must  be  protected 
from  the  cold.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  place  the  hen  and  chickens  in  the  house 
where  you  wish  them  to  stay  after  they  are  weaned.  They  will  run  out 
from  there,  and  when  the  hen  leaves  them  they  will  huddle  together  and  so 
keep  warm. 

Do  not  furnish  roosts  for  chickens.  Oblige  them  to  sit  on  the  floor  until 
nearly  grown.  Crooked  breast  bonea  are  often  caused  by  roosting  too 
young.  A  great  mistake,  often  made,  ia  the  trying  to  raise  too  many 
chickens  on  the  same  range  of  groundo 

Many  or  few,  they  will  wander  about  so  far  away  from  the  coop  and  no 
farther.  The  ground  over  which  they  run  will  furnish  naturally  about  so 
much  in  the  form  of  bugs  and  worms,  which  are  very  conducive  to  the 
health  of  the  chickens.  If  this  is  divided  among  a  large  flock  each  will  get 
only  a  small  portion.  The  larger  ones  will  tread  on  the  smaller  and  the 
chicks  will  grow  slowly  and  be  inferior. 

It  depends  upon  circumstances  whether  or  not  to  allow  the  hen  full 
range.  She  will  pick  up  many  luxuries  for  her  chicks,  but  if  she  is  a  roamy, 
uneasy  body  she  will  worry  the  chicks  to  death  by  dragging  them  around. 
As  soon  as  possible,  cull  out  all  inferior  and  defective  specimens,  thus  giv« 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 


ing  their  room  to  others.  Select  such  fowls  as  you  wish  for  keeping  over, 
This  requires  experience  and  judgment,  as  many  an  awkward,  inferior, 
looking  chick  develops  into  a  fine  bird. 

As  soon  as  the  young  cockerels  begin  to  worry  the  hens  and  pullets,  it  ia 
best  tc  put  them  in  a  yard  by  themselves.  For  the  larger  varieties,  Brah- 
mas  and  Cochins,  it  is  best  to  set  very  early  in  the  season,  as  it  takes  so 
much  longer  for  the  chicks  to  mature,    March  and  April  chicks  do  better 

than  later  ones.  They  are  large 
enough  when  the  ground  opens 
to  make  war  on  bugs  and 
worms,  which  are  then  very 
plenty  and  so  desirable  for  the 
growth  of  the  chicks.  They  get 
well  feathered  out  by  the  time 
nights  are  cold  in  the  fall. 

A  Model  Poultry  House— 
We  present  herewith  an'  illus- 
trated plan  for  a  light,  con- 
venient and  well  ventilated 
poultry  house,  which  we  offer 
merely  as  a  suggestion  to  work 
from,  believing  that  any  one 
who  may  be  interested  in  poul* 
try  raising,  may  be  able  to  de- 
rive some  valuable  hints  there- 
from. In  our  first  illustration 
we  show  the  elevation  of  the 
building,  and  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  house  is  quite  attractive 
in  appearance,  and  it  would  be 
an  ornament  to  any  poultry 
yard.  Our  second  illustration 
shows  the  ground  plan,  which  is 
briefly  described  as  follows; 
The  house  is  divided  into  six 
compartments,  divided  by  thin 
wooden  partitions,  with  doors 
opening  from  one  to  another, 
represented  by  the  letter  d.  If 
at  any  time  it  is  found  desirable 
to  separate  the  different  breeds 
of  fowl,  it  can  be  done  by  simply 
shutting  them  up  in  the  different 
rooms,  and  keeping  the  doors 
closed.  Each  compartment  is 
well  lighted  by  a  large  window,  and  some  are  supplied  by  more  than  one. 
The  windows  are  represented  by  the  letter  w.  There  are  no  letters  shown 
in  the  three  compartments  at  the  left,  as  these  rooms  are  an  exact  duplicate 
of  the  first  ones  shown  at  the  right  of  the  long  section  of  the  building.  Each 
compartment  is  supplied  with  convenient  roosts;  r,  nests  or  laying  boxes,  n, 
and  a  large  box,  b,  which  is  useful  for  holding  sand,  gravel,  etc.  The  size 
and  height  of  the  building  may  be  regulated  by  the  builder,  who  will  of 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR.  86 

course  be  governed  by  circumstances.  A  poultry  house  constructed  after 
this  plan,  or  one  of  similar  character,  we  think  will  be  found  very  con- 
venient and  in  every  way  desirable.  In  making  the  illustration  of  the 
ground  plan  of  this  building,  the  artist  has  inverted  the  letters,  therefore  to 
properly  read  them  you  should  turn  the  paper  over. 

Ducks  in  the  Garden — Of  what  are  termed  large  water-fowls,  in- 
cluding ducks,  geese  and  swans,  the  former  are  well  entitled  to  considera- 
tion for  use  and  ornament  about  gardens 
and  elsewhere,  even  if  living  water  for  them 
is  lacking.  Not  but  that  it  is  far  more  de- 
sirable that  ducks  have  access  to  a  lake  or 
stream  than  otherwise,  but  they  will  get 
along  with  a  small  supply  of  water  in  a  pond 
or  tank  a  few  feet  across,  in  a  way  that  the 
others  could  not  near  so  well  do. 

Kept  in  such  a  manner,  ducks  will  not 
only  be  found  profitable  and  ornamental 
around  a  garden,  but  serviceable;  they  offer 
the  advantages  of  being  voracious  insect 
consumers,  and  of  neither  scratching 
up  seeds  or  roots  nor  flying  about  mis- 
chievously. It  is  a  special  recommend  that 
they  destroy  those  great  plagues  of  the  gar- 
den, namely,  slugs,  a  thing  that  even  hens 
will  not  do.  One  of  our  friends  once  had  a 
garden  on  sandy  soil,  which  as  a  result  of 
heavy  manuring,  needed  to  fit  the  soil  for 
vegetation,  became  terribly  filled  with  slugs, 
cutworms  and  othjer  insects;  tbe  young  plants 
were  destroyed  and  roses 
and  other  bushes  greatly 
marred. 

"  Some  ducks  "  were  sug- 
gested. Eight  or  nine  of 
these  were  bought,  turned 
into  the  garden  and  given 
Tree  range.  The  result 
was  astonishing;  in  a  few 
months  the  insects  seemed 
used  up,  after  which  the 
flock  of  ducks  was  reduced 
to  three,  and  these  kept  to 
guard  against  further  trouble.  To  be  sure,  some  things  can  be  brought 
against  the  keeping  of  ducks  in  the  garden,  but  these  do  not  offset  the  bene- 
fits. They  have  a  strong  liking  for  strawberries,  about  the  only  fruit  they 
will  trouble.  Keep  them  from  the  strawberry  enclosures  during  fruiting 
time  and  trouble  is  averted.  The  Muscovies  eat  buds  and  young  shoots— 
we  can  keep  other  kinds  which  do  not.  But  ducks  do  trample  down  the 
plants  and  tilled  earth,  and  eat  young  leaves.  This  is  the  most  serious 
charge  against  them,  but  it  may  be  reduced  to  a  small  thing,  by  not  giving 
them  free  range  at  all  times.  Turn  them  into  the  garden  only  for  an  hour 
or  two  daily,  and  that  in  the  morning,  when  the  dew  is  on  the  plants.    Then 


86  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

they  will  seek  mostly  for  slugs  and  similar  pests.  At  other  times  they  ma5 
be  about  the  lawn.  Where  there  is  no  natural  bed  of  water  for  ducks, 
paius  should  be  taken  where  they  are  kept  to  provide  a  change  of  water  in 
a  clean  tank  every  day.  This  should  be  located  near  the  water  tank  or 
other  supply  for  convenience. — Popular  Gardening. 

Frame  or  Stone  Houses— There  is  considerable  difference  of  opinion 
in  regard  to  frame  and  stone  poulflry  houses,  some  preferring  one  style  and 
other  breeders  the  other.  In  regard  to  mere  comfort  and  utility,  it  does 
not  make  a  shade  of  difference  whether  one  or  other  is  built,  provided  the 
best  materials  are  used  and  the  buildings  are  put  up  by  those  who  under- 
stand their  business  and  show  it  by  their  work.  A  frame  structure,  in  the 
line  of  poultry  houses  especially,  admits  of  more  ornamentation  than  a 
stone  one,  and  can  generally  be  made  more  attractive  and  pleasing  to  the 
eye,  though  when  we  come  to  durability  the  stone  ones  are  several  degrees 
ahead,  though  not  one-tenth  of  the  poultry  houses  are  of  stone.  Why  this 
is  is  readily  accounted  for,  tor  stone  buildings  on  a  farm  are  permanent 
structures,  while  frame  ones  can  be  moved  whenever  the  first  location  be- 
comes undesirable  for  reasons  best  known  to  the  owner.  A  few  men,  with 
a  number  of  good  rollers  to  move  the  building  on,  can  move  quite  a  good- 
sized  building  in  a  few  hours  to  some  distance  from  its  former  place. 

Frame  houses  for  poultry  are  more  generally  desirable  on  account  of 
being  more  quickly  built;  they  can  be  put  up  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and 
are  considerably  cheaper  than  stone  or  brick  ones,  while  the  breeder  can 
usually  build  a  frame  one  himself,  though  but  few  would  attempt  a  stone 
or  brick  one;  and  here  permit  us  to  remark  that  the  cost  of  erection  is  ma- 
terially lessened  by  the  breeder  doing  most,  if  not  all,  the  work  himself,  as 
many  of  them  now  do. 

There  are,  however,  advantages  in  a  stone  or  brick  poultry  house  which 
cannot  be  found  in  a  frame  one.  The  former  are  cooler  in  summer  and 
warmer  in  winter,  while  they  are  not  so  apt  to  be  infested  with  vermin— or, 
rather,  it  is  easier  to  get  rid  of  them  when  the  lice,  etc.,  are  getting  the 
upper  hand.  Stone  houses  should  always  be  plastered,  on  the  inside  at 
least,  and  a  coat  of  "  white  coating  "  adds  much  to  the  appearance  and  fin- 
ish. When  this  is  done  there  are  no  cracks  and  crevices  for  vermin  to  find 
safe  lodgment  in  and  breed  in  countless  thousands,  as  they  do  in  too  many 
wooden  structures.  Where  a  breeder  owns  the  place  he  resides  on,  and 
has  carefully  planned  out  his  farm,  then  stone  or  brick  buildings  should  be 
put  up,  for  they  have  a  substantial,  "  come-to-stay  "  look,  while  the  danger 
from  fire  is  reduced  to  the  minimum.— Farm  and  Fireside. 

Killing  Poultry._A  correspondent  of  the  Poultry  Yard  gives  the  fol- 
lowing plan.  It  is  so  simple  and  excellent  a  one  that  we  do  not  hesitate  to 
advise  its  use:  "  I  have  been  killing  poultry  with  the  knife,  and  in  a  differ- 
ent manner  from  that  which  I  have  usually  practiced.  I  cut  on  the  back 
side  of  the  neck,  just  back  of  the  ear  or  head,  my  object  being  to  sever  the 
jugular  vein.  There  being  two,  one  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  it  would  be 
best  to  cut  the  one  near  the  carotid  artery,  when  only  one  side  is  cut,  thus 
severing  both  vein  and  artery,  which  I  believe  is  on  the  right  side.  On 
hens  I  cut  both  sides  of  the  neck,  and,  when  the  blood  stopped  running  a 
stream,  penetrated  the  brain  by  running  the  knife  point  through  the  groove 
in  the  top  of  the  mouth.  I  saw  no  twitching  or  quivering  of  the  muscles. 
Soon  alter  I  commenced  to  pluck  the  feathers  with  both  hands;  they  came 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  ROVLTRF  BOOK.  87 

•ff  very  easy;  the  birds  were  quickly  stripped,  and  without  any  breaking 
and  tearing  of  the  skin.  Spring  chickens  I  cut  only  on  one  side,  and  do 
not  tear  them  any  to  speak  of.  I  must  say  that  the  method  worked  better 
than  I  expected.  The  objection  to  scalding  in  this  section  is  that  the  fowls 
soon  turn  dark,  and  will  not  sell  for  as  much  as  dry  plucked."  If  the  fowls 
are  for  immediate  sale  m  a  home  market,  and  have  beeu  killed  and  dressed 
as  above,  their  appearance  will  be  improved  by  a  quick  immersion  in  hot 
water.  An  old  poultry  seller  told  us  tbat  he  always  treats  dry  picked  tur- 
keys and  chickens  to  such  a  bath,  and  got  two  cents  more  on  a  pound  for  it, 

Poultry  Diseases— Domestic  fowls  are  not  exempted  from  the  laws  ©f 
nature.  Mortality  and  disease  prey  upon  them  at  times,  as  well  as  upon 
other  living  things.  Yet  when  we  consider  their  countless  numbers,  their 
varied  surroundmgs,  and  the  various  causes  which  predispose  them  to 
sickness — through  neglect  and  want,  and  through  the  almost  incessant 
drain  on  their  sensitive  and  complicated  ovaries  to  furnish  us  food — we  are 
surprised  at  their  general  good  health. 

A  German  student  of  Konigsberg,  who  has  made  the  osteology  and 
organism  of  fowls  a  study,  says  that  pullets  properly  cared  for  enjoy  better 
health  than  other  domestic  animals,  by  reason  of  their  active  habits  and 
varied  food  when  allowed  full  range.  The  acids  from  buds,  berries  and 
vegetables  help  to  assimilate  the  gluten  of  cereals,  and  if  in  excess,  it  too 
is  neutralized  by  the  carbonate  of  lime.  The  structure  of  the  fowl  is  so 
beautifully  arranged  and  harmonized  that  unless  some  unsuitable  substance 
is  eaten  they  are  usually  free  from  ailments. 

Complaints  reach  us  from  correspondents  about  their  fowls  being  dis- 
eased, while  in  other  localities  they  enjoy  an  immunity  from  sickness.  Now, 
philosophically  speaking,  every  effect  must  have  a  cause.  If  fowls  of  the 
same  breed  or  variety  are  exempt  in  one  neighborhood,  it  is  evident  sani- 
tary laws  were  observed  by  their  keepers;  if  diseased  in  other  places  with- 
out malarial  or  atmospheric  causes,  it  shows  that  the  natural  laws  must 
have  been  violated,  perhaps  unknowingly  and  unsuspectingly.  We  cannot 
say  that  fowls  won't  die  nor  become  diseased  despite  all  the  sanitary  pre* 
cautions  possible,  but  what  we  want  to  convey  is  this:  that  a  large  percent- 
age might  be  saved  to  poulterers,  if  they  observed  a  few  rules  in  the  routine 
of  their  breeding,  which  are  at  all  times  and  in  all  places  in  perfect  harmony 
and  keeping  with  nature,  viz.:  avoid  in-and-in  breeding;  breed  from  none 
but  exceptionally  healthy  and  vigorous  stock;  take  good  care  of  the  young- 
lings, for  much  of  their  stamina,  hardiness  and  usefulness  depends  upon 
their  generous  keeping  while  maturing;  keep  your  stock  free  from  vermin; 
feed  regularly  wholesome,  varied  food,  but  do  not  overfeed;  give  them  pure 
water  to  drink;  have  their  roosting-places  clean  at  all  times;  keep  them 
warm  in  winter  and  cool  in  summer  and  allow  plenty  of  pure  air,  sunshine 
and  exercise.  Do  all  this,  and  our  word  for  it,  you  will  have  fowls  as  nimble 
as  crickets,  as  playful  as  kittens,  and  as  musical  as  larks. 

There  are  seasons  and  local  surroundings  trying  at  times  to  fowls,  but  a 
little  attention  in  time  may  ward  off  disease.  Evenings,  when  you  enter 
the  fowl-houses,  if  you  hear  hoarse  sounds  at  each  respiration,  you  have 
roup  cases  to  attend  to.  Mornings,  examine  the  droppings,  and  if  you  see 
a  thin,  creamy-looking  discharge,  you  have  symptoms  of  disease,  and 
attend  to  it  in  time.  To  sum  up:  prevention  is  better  than  cure,  and  the 
best  way  is  to  avoid  sickness  by  the  observance  of  the  laws  of  health.— 
Poultry  World. 


88  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK, 

Why  the  Chicks  Do  Not  Grow—Several  correspondents,  writes  Mr. 
Pc  H.  Jacobs,  Lave  written  asking  for  information  regarding  young  chicks. 
One  of  them  has  been  feeding  largely  of  corn  meal,  and  states  that  the 
chicks  do  well  enough  until  they  begin  to  feather,  when  they  then  droop 
and  become  sickly.  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  corn  meal  contains  but  a 
small  proportion  of  the  elements  that  assist  in  producing  feathers.  In  de- 
veloping feathers,  and  just  when  passing  from  the  "  downy  "  condition,  the 
chick  must  have  suitable  food,  and  often,  or  it  will  perish,  even  when  sur- 
rounded by  an  abundance  of  food  not  required  for  feather  growth.  A  fea* 
ther  contains  nitrogen  and  the  phosphates,  the  nitrogen  (as  ammonia)  being 
made  known  to  the  organs  of  smell  when  the  feather  is  burned.  This  nitro- 
gen is  that  which  is  derived  from  meat,  milk,  the  gluten  of  wheat  and  oats, 
blood,  and  sometimes  from  green  food,  but  most  abundantly  from  meat, 
milk,  and  wheat  grams.  The  phosphates  are  derived  principally  from 
ground  bone,  wheat,  oats,  and  milk.  The  feather  also  contains  sulphur, 
soda,  magnesia,  lime,  and  other  mineral  elements.  To  properly  feed  the 
chicks,  they  should  have  such  a  variety  of  food  as  will  contribute  to  all  the 
wants  of  the  body,  and  corn  meal,  though  imparting  fat  or  heat,  will  be 
found  insufficient.  While  feeding  these  concentrated  foods  the  chicks  re- 
quire, also,  something  of  a  bulky  character,  such  as  cooked  potatoes, 
chopped  grass,  cabbage,  lettuce,  or  onions,  which  serve  to  assist  the  diges- 
tion. A  complete  food  may  be  made  as  follows:  Cook  ground  oats  until 
well  done  in  enough  water  to  serve  the  purpose  until  a  gallon  of  the  por- 
ridge has  been  prepared.  Then  add  a  quart  of  fresh  blood  or  two  pounds 
of  finely  chopped  meat,  half  a  pound  of  linseed  meal,  an  ounce  of  salt,  one- 
fourth  of  an  ounce  of  sulphur,  a  pound  of  ground  bone,  and  enough  water 
to  allow  it  to  cook  fifteen  minutes  more.  While  hot,  add  half  a  gallon  of 
milk,  and  thicken  the  mass  to  a  stiff  dough  with  one  part  middlings  and  two 
of  corn  meal.  Of  course  this  will  make  a  large  quantity,  but  if  it  be  baked 
as  bread  and  crumbled  for  the  chicks,  it  will  be  all  they  will  require,  while 
it  will  keep  for  quite  a  length  of  time.  It  should  be  fed  four  times  a  day, 
and  in  addition  the  chicks  should  have  green  food.  If  preferred,  the  mix- 
ture may  be  made  in  small  quantities  at  a  time  by  simply  soaking  the  in- 
gredients over  night  and  allowing  the  mixture  to  boil  in  the  morning,  then 
thickening  and  cooking  in  the  shape  of  bread. 

J  Preparing  Against  Vermin— Lice  have  been  tb.6  bane  of  all  who 
endeavor  to  keep  fowlsD  Despite  all  the  precautions  lice  will  take  posses- 
sion, and,  once  established,  work  will  be  required  for  getting  rid  of  the 
pests.  It  must  be  remembered  that  unless  the  entire  premises  are  over- 
hauled nothing  can  be  done.  Lice  may  be  driven  off  the  roosts  and  yet  be 
very  thick  in  the  nests.  Or  they  may  store  themselves  in  some  overlooked 
crevice,  to  come  forth  and  multiply  as  rapidly  as  before.  No  half-way 
measures  will  do  for  them.  It  must  be  a  war  of  extermination,  and  not  a 
single  one  must  be  left.  Sometimes  the  yards  must  be  cleaned  up  in  order 
to  escape  them. 

To  keep  the  vermin  away  place  tobacco  refuse  in  the  nests,  which  wiR 
not  injurs  the  hens  in  any  manner,  and  anoint  the  roosts  with  coal  oil  once 
&  week.  Every  three  months  the  walls  should  be  well  whitewashed,  with 
carbolic  acid  in  the  whitewash,  and  the  droppings  should  be  removed  a  t 
least  twice  a  week.  Occasionally  a  good  dusting  of  the  whole  interior  with 
Persian  insect  powder  will  be  an  advantage.  But  getting  rid  of  lice  is  the 
difficulty.    To  do  so,  the  first  thing  is  to  elaaa  out  the  hen-hoftse  and  leave 


STAND  AMD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  89 

K>  portion  of  the  droppings  Lice  often  find  lodgment  in  the  droppinga. 
and  hence  a  solution  of  carbolio  acid  should  be  sprinkled  over  those  that 
are  removed.  Put  whitewash  into  every  crack  and  crevice  thickly.  Let  it 
be  hot,  if  possible,  and  do  not  be  economical  with  it.  Put  plenty  of  carbolic 
acid  in  the  whitewash— a  teaspoonful  of  the  acid  to  every  bucket. 

With  an  oil  can  or  small  bellows,  blow  the  Persian  insect-powder  every- 
where—in the  nests,  in  the  cracks,  and  all  over  the  floor,  first  cleaning  the 
nests  for  that  purpose.  Having  used  all  these  methods,  now  burn  half  a 
pound  of  sulphur  on  the  floor,  see  that  it  burns  well,  and  close  the  door, 
keeping  it  shut  an  hour.  To  make  the  sulphur  burn,  pour  a  little  alcohol 
over  it.  If  possible,  before  cleaning  out  the  house,  take  the  fowls  off  the 
roost,  singly,  and  dust  every  part  of  the  body  with  Persian  insect-powder, 
rubbing  a  drop  of  coal  oil  on  the  top  of  the  head  and  around  the  vent,  but 
not  on  the  body.  Bepeat  this  process  once  a  week,  if  necessary.  It  is  la- 
borious, we  admit,  but  heroic  treatment  is  necessary  if  lice  are  to  be  driven 
out  when  once  they  become  established. 

To  Secure  Robust  Chicks.—There  must  be  more  attention  given  to  the 
feeding  and  care  of  the  breeding  fowls  than  we  ordinarily  find  accorded  to 
stock  at  the  season  when  the  hens  are  laying  their  spring  litters  of  eggs. 

It  is  not  necessary  that  the  green  stuff — such  as  cabbage  leaves,  chopped 
turnips,  onions,  lettuce,  etc.,  which  is  given  in  winter  and  spring  time- 
should  be  wasted  or  lavished  in  the  allowance.  They  should  be  fed  a  little 
at  a  time,  but  a  little  every  day.  Too  much  will  tend  to  loosen  their  bowels 
and  bring  on  scouring,  which  is  to  be  avoided  always.  If  green  stuff  is 
withheld  for  days  or  weeks,  and  then  supplied  profusely,  they  will  "  pitch 
in  "  and  overeat,  But  if  it  is  kept  by  them  constantly,  they  will  eat  a  very 
little  at  a  time,  and  help  themselves  often,  to  their  great  advantage. 

We  know  many  fanciers  who  rarely  think  to  attend  to  this  important 
provision  for  their  layers;  and  we  have  noticed  their  ill-success  in  hatching 
the  eggs  deposited  in  the  nests  by  such  hens,  very  often.  If  there  be  any 
one  thing  in  the  care  of  our  breeding  fowls  which  more  than  another  needs 
to  be  remembered,  we  are  sure  this  is  it.  And  we  cannot  too  frequently  re- 
mind the  reader  to  keep  a  supply  on  hand  if  his  fowls  have  not  sufficient 
range  to  procure  it  for  themselves. — Poultry  Nation, 

lame  and  Lime  Water—Without  lime,  poultry  breeders  would  in- 
deed be  in  a  bad  way,  for  there  could  be  no  whitewashing  done,  and  that  is 
bo  necessary  to  cleanliness  and  appearance  as  well  as  to  the  preservation  of 
the  wood;  while  the  vermin  would  be  only  too  thankful  to  have  it  done 
away  with,  for  it  is  so  distasteful  to  them.  Then  thero  is  the  bits  which  are 
scattered  in  the  houses,  on  the  floors  and  around  In  the  yardsj  these,  too, 
would  be  greatly  missed,  for  they  keep  things  pures  Sweet,  and  clean,  and 
free  from  foul  odors  which  are  so  productive  of  disease.  The  hens,  too, 
which  lay  such  nice,  fine  eggs,  would  be  at  loss  where  to  find  material  for 
their  shells,  and  many  a  soft-shelled  egg  would  be  the  result.  While,  i»  its 
fresh  as  well  as  slaked  state,  it  is  so  useful  and  beneficial  in  economic  and 
profitable  poultry  management,  lime  water  is  also  of  great  use,  though  but 
few  breeders  seem  to  realize  it.  If  it  was  more  generally  used,  there  would 
be  very  few  cases  of  the  throat  diseases,  unless  the  diseases  were  of  loig 
standing  or  hereditary.  It  is  very  easily  prepared,  and  will  keep  for  qi!  ito 
a  while,  if  kept  sheltered  from  the  sun.  Take  a  piece  of  fresh  lime,  about 
as  large  as  a  cocoanut    Slake  it  well  in  a  little  water,    When  it  is  slaked 


90  STAND  ABB  AMEBIC  AN  POULTBT  BOOK. 

thoroughly,  fill  up  the  small  tub  or  large  bucket  with  water  and  let  it  settle 
after  which  pour  oft  the  water  for  use.— Am.  Poultry  Journal. 

Fencing. — In  nearly  all  the  matters  pertaining  to  poultry  management 
there  are  many  places  in  which  much  can  be  saved  by  those  who  are  dis- 
posed to  do  so,  and  to  accomplish  that  desirable  end  it  is  not  necessary  to 
sacrifice  either  comfort  or  appearance.  Some  of  the  most  comfortable 
poultx*y  houses  are  the  cheapest,  although  but  few  who  have  the  ready  cash 
to  build  seem  to  realize  that  fact.  In  regard  to  the  fencing  problem,  there 
is  much  that  can  be  said.  It  used  to  be  the  plan,  and  is  still  so  in  some 
sections,  to  build  fences  some  16  to  20  feet  high,  using  expensive  (so  as  to 
secure  durability)  slats  for  the  purpose,  to  restrain  the  flying  propensities 
of  the  Leghorn  and  others  of  like  strength  and  length  of  wing,  but  now  the 
fence  can  be  made  with  the  ordinary  four  foot  long  ceiling  lath,  putting  a 
couple  of  narrow  boards  at  the  bottom  to  raise  it  up  a  foot  higher,  and  the 
top  of  the  yard  is  covered  with  cheap  tarred  twine  netting.  This  is  much 
cheaper  than  a  high  fence,  while  its  lowness  makes  it  most  durable,  being 
out  of  the  full  force  of  the  high  winds.  These  twine  nettings  are  also  very 
useful  to  prevent  the  depredations  of  hawks  and  crows  when  the  chicks  are 
young,  and  when  the  yards  are  some  distance  from  the  house.  For  all  or- 
dinary purposes,  lath  makes  a  fence  good  enough,  and  with  care  it  wili  last 
for  three  or  four  years,  and  often  longer. 

Pure  Bred  Fowls. — The  question  is  often  asked,  are  pure  bred  fowls 
any  better  than  the  common  or  mixed  sorts,  which  we  find  on  most  farms  ? 
and  if  such  is  the  case,  why  is  it  so?  In  every  case  where  fowls  receive 
proper  care  and  attention,  the  results  produced  show  a  marked  difference 
in  favor  of  pure  bred  varieties.  The  reasons  why  this  is  so  are  easily 
explained,  They  are  on  the  average  much  better  layers;  they  lay  larger 
eggs,  and  many  more  in  the  course  of  a  year  than  the  common  barnyard 
fowl;  they  are  also  superior  to  common  stock  for  raising  chickens  for  mar- 
ket. Of  course  in  mentioning  a  first-class  fowl  for  market,  we  mean  some 
of  the  most  popular  varieties,  which  are  best  adapted  to  that  purpose,  euch 
as  the  Plymouth  Rock  or  Wyandotte,  as  they  produce  chicks  of  uniform 
size,  with  yellow  l6gs  and  bodies,  which  are  preferable  to  the  consumer  t* 
the  common  breeds,  which  produce  chicks  of  all  sizes,  and  legs  and  flesh 
of  various  shades  of  color.  Again,  pure  bred  fowls  are  certainly  more 
pleasing  to  the  eye  than  a  flock  of  inbred  mongrels,  as  each  variety  has  a 
distinct  color  of  plumage,  which  makes  them  very  ornamental  to  any  yard 
or  lawn  (if  they  are  bred  according  to  the  requirements  of  the  standard), 
and  they  will  also  sell  for  a  better  price  to  those  who  wish  to  procure  a 
choice  stock  to  breed  from.  In  selecting  a  variety  that  will  bring  the  best 
price  in  market,  it  is  very  essential  that  they  should  have  clean  yellow  legs 
and  bodies,  and  good  size.— American  Bural  Borne. 

Importance  of  Gravel—Sometimes  many  of  the~  difficulties" in  the 
matter  of  keeping  poultry  may  be  traced  to  causes  that  are  apparently 
very  insignificant,  yet  they  may  for  a  long  time  cause  much  annoyance  and 
trouble  until  the  source  of  the  evil  is  discovered.  Failure  to  provide  gravel 
is  the  cause  of  indigestion  and  bowel  diseases  in  some  yards.  On  close, 
compact  clay  soils,  gravel  is  scarce,  and  the  hens,  if  confined,  can  find  no 
substitute  for  tit<,  Coarsely-ground  oyster  shells  may  be  of  assistance,  but 
they  are  too  soft  to  fully  answer  the  purpose;  and,  though  gravel  itself  may 
b*  plentiful  in  the  shape  of  small,  smooth  stones,  yet  to  be  eeiviceable,  they 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  ROOK.  91 

must  be  sharp,  as  their  action  is  purely  mechanical.  So  important  is  the 
matter  of  such  material  known  to  some  poultrymen  that  they  frequently 
pound  broken  glass  or  earthenware  for  the  purpose,  which  has  been  swal- 
lowed by  fowls  with  benefit,  but  whether  a  large  quantity  of  such  material 
is  injurious  or  not  is  undetermined;  some  claiming  that  they  give  the 
broken  glass  liberally,  while  others  maintain  that  something  depends  upon 
the  size  and  shape  of  the  pieces  swallowed.  If  pounded  bone  be  fed,  the 
hens  invariably  select  the  sharpest  and  most  irregular  pieces,  and  it  is  their 
choicest  delicacy.  Sand  is  not  a  substitute  for  gravel,  but  imperfectly  sifted 
coal  ashes  are  of  assistance.  By  keeping  sharp  gravel  before  the  hens 
they  will  thrive  better,  and  to  be  without  it  is  equivalent  to  a  deprivation 
of  food,  as  the  process  of  digestion  will  not  be  complete  unless  the  food  is 
fully  masticated. 

Table  Qualities.— We  all  know  how  highly  the  breast  of  a  turkey  is 
prized,  and  it  would  be  an  excellent  improvement  on  the  hens  if  they  could 
be  bred  with  plenty  of  breast  meat  similar  to  that  possessed  by  the  turkey. 
But,  unfortunately,  we  cannot  secure  all  the  desirable  qualities  in  a  single 
breed.  Breast  meat  is  the  result  of  exercise  to  a  certain  extent.  It  is 
muscle,  and  the  birds  possessing  it  are  naturally  high  fliers.  The  Brahma 
has  the  frame  and  build  for  laying  on  large  quantities  of  meat,  but  it  is 
deficient  on  the  breast,  due  to  having  been  bred  to  remain  near  the  ground 
instead  of  flying.  The  Game,  on  the  contrary,  being  an  acthe,  vigorous 
bird,  is  well  developed  on  the  breast,  and  with  small  bones  and  large  mus- 
cles, which  it  possesses,  it  is  an  excellent  table  fowl.  We  do  not  allude  to 
the  standard  exhibition  Games,  although  they  are  not  entirely  deficient, 
but  to  those  Games  that  are  bred  exclusively  for  the  pit.  Being  trained  and 
developed  for  strength,  those  characteristic^  are  inherent  m  their  progeny, 
and  render  them  an  excellent  breed  of  fowls.  When  crossed  on  the  Brah- 
mas  they  combine  quality  and  size,  and  though  not  such  high  fliers  as  the 
purer  breeds,  they  possess  the  good  qualities  of  the  Games  with  the  weight 
of  the  Brahmas.  In  breeding  for  home  use  these  points  should  not  be 
overlooked.    Quality  should  never  be  sacrificed  under  any  circumstances. 

One  Dollar  Per  Hen. — Somebody,  writes  a  breeder,  wants  to  know  if 
$1  per  year  profit  from  each  hen  is  a  good  average.  Where  hens  are  kept 
as  the  majority  of  farmers  keep  them  $1  per  head  is  quite  as  much  as  the 
owner  ought  to  expect,  and  I  don't  believe  the  average  farmer  can  make 
$100  easier  than  by  keeping  and  caring  for  a  flock  of  100  hens.  If  he  will 
do  a  little  something  extra  in  the  way  of  housing,  care  and  feed,  the  hens 
will  add  at  least  50  cents  to  the  average  dollar;  why,  we  have  pullets  that 
at  present  writing  have  laid  a  dozen  eggs  apiece  since  tb.6y  first  commenced 
laying,  the  first  week  in  October,  but  they  didn't  roost  in  the  trees  and  live 
on  sawdust  and  gravel;  they  had  a  good,  warm  house  and  plenty  of  food 
and  care.  If  those  pullets  don't  earn  considerably  more  than  their 
*'  average  dollar  "  per  head  before  next  spring  I'll  cut  their  heads  off,  every 
last  one  of  them.  And  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  when  I  fail  to  make  at 
least  $3  profit  for  each  hen,  duck  and  turkey  kept  for  breeding  stock,  I 
don't  brag  much  about  my  success  in  poultry  raising. 

Spring  Fumigation— Turn  out  the  fowls  some  cool  or  damp  day,  and 
then  close  all  the  cracks  in  the  house  except  the  door.  Then  take  a  kettle 
of  live  coals  and  place  on  the  ground  in  the  center,  but  if  there  is  a  wood 
floor,  lay  a  flat  stone  in,  on  which  set  the  kettle.    Throw  %  half  pound  or  a 


92  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

pound  of  sulphur  upon  the  coals,  and  shut  the  door  and  leave  the  house 
closed  for  a  few  hours,  and  we  will  venture  to  say  no  more  lice  or  mites 
will  be  found  in  it  for  a  few  weeks  thereafter.  If  the  house  is  not  tight 
enough  to  admit  of  thorough  fumigation  in  the  manner  described,  then 
clean  as  well  as  you  can,  and  whitewash  witb  fresh  lime,  slapping  the  brush 
vigorously  at  all  the  cracks  and  sealing  them  hermetically;  after  which 
apply  kerosene  oil  to  the  roosts.  The  house  should  be  well  aired  after 
fumigation  before  the  fowls  are  admitted,  and  well  ventilated  at  night.  We 
have  never  known  the  "  whitewash  cure  "  to  fail  if  properly  applied,  but 
fumigation  is  a  quicker  process.—  Poultry  World. 

Damp  Hen  Houses. — Damp  quarters  for  hens  mean  few  eggs  and  an 
increased  death  rate  in  the  flock.  In  the  breaking  up  of  winter,  if  water 
stands  in  the  hen  house,  thus  wetting  and  liberating  the  ammonia  from  the 
droppings,  the  results  are  bad  in  a  two-fold  ratio:  the  loss  of  the  manure, 
and  sickness  and  death  in  the  flock.  Those  who  have  such  quarters  for 
fowls  will  best  secure  their  own  interest  if  they  at  once  clean  the  floors,  lay 
a  board  floor  above  the  water  line,  and  strew  it  with  carbolated  lime  and 
old  hay  and  leaves,  thus  keeping  the  fowls  comfortable  and  secure  from 
disease,  and  ensuring  a  larger  supply  of  eggs.— Our  Country  Home. 

Imperial  Egg  Food—Prof.  Jordan  has  analyzed  what  is  known  as  the 
Imperial  Egg  Food,  and  gives  the  proportions  as  follows:  Moisture  and 
organic  matter  16.05  per  cent.,  mineral  matter  83  95  per  cent.,  nitrogen  1.00 
per  cent.,  carbonate  of  iime  55.6  per  cent.,  bone  14  to  17  per  cent.  The 
83.95  per  cent,  of  mineral  matter  includes  the  carbonate  of  lime  and  bone, 
probably,  while  the  nitrogen  is  included  in  the  organic  matter.  To  make 
the  above  intelligible,  the  mineral  matter  consists  of  oyster-shells  and  bone, 
while  the  organic  matter  may  consist  of  pepper,  fenugreek,  blood,  dried 
meat,  or  ground  linseed  meal.  Hence,  10  pounds  of  the  egg  food  would 
consist  of  about"  ihe  following:  Ground  shells  6  pounds,  ground  bone  2 
pounds,  ground  meat  IK  pounds,  fenugreek  one-half  pound. 

Fertile  Eggs—Geese  usually  pair,  though  an  extra  goose  will  be 
accepted  by  the  gander  if  she  has  no  mate.  Guineas  also  pair  and  mate. 
The  drake  will  take  four  or  five  ducks  to  his  care,  but  in  confinement  the 
ntimber  may  be  increased.  A  single  union  of  a  gobbler  and  hen  turkey 
fertilizes  all  the  eggs  for  that  season,  or  rather  for  that  clutch.  If  the 
turkey  hen  sits,  and  after  hatching  begins  to  lay,  she  should  again  be  placed 
wifih  the  gobbler.  It  is  conceded  that  eggs  from  the  barn-yard  hen  become 
fertile  on  the  fifth  day  after  she  has  been  mated  with  the  cock,  and  the  eggs 
wi?l  sometimes  hatch  after  the  cock  has  been  removed  for  eight  or  ten  days. 
TL'is  depends,  however,  upon  the  position  of  the  eggs  in  the  ovary,  and  the 
duration  of  the  time  the  hen  has  been  laying. 

Animal  Food  for  Chickens— Economy  in  the  distribution  of  the 
grains  and  other  food  furnished  our  poultry  is  a  matter  that  deserves  the 
closest  attention  in  our  daily  work  and  our  earnest  consideration  when  we 
are  making  up  the  bill  of  fare  for  the  season.  We  may  build  costly  and  ele- 
gant houses,  and  spend  time  and  money  on  the  runs  and  all  the  accessories 
of  a  first-class  establishment,  but  the  cumulative  cost  of  food  will,  in  a  few 
yoars,  aggregate  a  sum  as  large  or  even  larger. 

A  poultry  house  may  be  expensive,  bul  as  long  as  it  is  well  planned  and 
built  it  is  a  profitable  investment;  and  once  finished,  the  chances  for  waste 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  93 

and  loss  are  gone.  But  with  provisions  this  is  not  the  case;  it  is  not  suffi- 
cient to  give  enough  every  day.  We  must  see  that  there  is  neither  loss  to 
the  fowls  nor  their  owner  through  over-leeding  or  scant  supply,  and  that  a 
judicious  variety  of  feed  is  used. 

Though  the  losses  through  lack  of  economy  are  not  so  large  when  but  a 
dozen  or  twenty  fowls  are  kept  as  when  the  breeder  has  a  hundred  or  more 
to  look  after,  they  are  by  no  means  to  be  despised,  no  matter  how  small; 
for  if  the  loss  is  small,  the  profits  from  a  few  fowls  are  small  also,  and  the 
percentage  of  loss  is  the  same  in  each  case.  When  we  come  to  poultry  keep- 
ing on  a  larger  scale,  however,  the  strict  economy  necessary  is  very  appar- 
ent. While  the  number  of  fowls  kept  was  small,  their  sustenance  could, 
for  the  most  part,  be  drawn  from  the  refuse  of  the  table,  and  cost  nothing; 
but  when  a  large  number  must  be  maintained — in  health — it  is  evident  that 
this  source  of  supply  will  be  entirely  inadequate.  To  obviate  this  difficulty 
it  is  necessary  to  make  special  "messes,"  suited  to  the  almost  omniverous 
appetites  of  domesticated  poultry.  Fish  and  flesh  are  all  one  to  any  flock; 
and  when  Nature  does  not  furnish  enough  in  the  way  of  worms,  grasshop- 
pers, and  other  forms  of  "  meat  on  the  hoof,"  we  must  supply  the  deficiency 
by  preparations  of  chandlers'  scraps  aud  refuse  butchers'  meat — aa  a  rule, 
made  into  a  sort  of  hash,  with  meal — and  green  food  of  any  available  de- 
scription. When  meal  dough  is  used,  however,  pains  should  be  taken  to 
see  that  only  as  much  is  made  as  can  be  eaten  up  clean  at  once,  or  else  that 
which  is  left  over  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  place,  as  otherwise  it  will  sour 
rapidly,  and  when  sour  is  very  inimical  to  health. 

Young  chickens  need  animal  food  particularly.  When  it  fails  to  do  them 
good  it  is  in  consequence  of  the  common  fault  of  over-feeding.  They  cannot 
bear  big  rations  of  rich  food.  Watch  the  mother  hen  at  liberty  scratching 
for  her  young  brood,  and  see  how  infrequent  and  how  small  the  morsels, 
and  how  many  the  competitive  mouths.  Now  the  practical  question  arises, 
how  shall  we  best  supply  animal  food  artificially?  A  method  has  been 
recommended  for' producing  maggots  as  food,  not  only  for  chicks,  but  old 
fowls,  and  in  sufficient  quantity  to  give  a  large  flock  a  meal  every  day. 

The  first  step  is  to  dig  a  trench,  a  foot  deep  and  six  feet  square,  and 
brick  up,  or  cement  the  sides  so  that  none  of  the  maggots  can  escape. 
Then  throw  in  enough  straw,  that  has  been  used  as  bedding  for  horses,  to 
make  a  layer  three  inches  thick.  On  this  place  a  layer  of  horse  manure  a 
couple  of  inches  thick,  spread  evenly.  Next  make  a  layer  of  scraps  from 
the  table,  Indian  meal,  yeast,  and  almost  anything  which  will  cause  fer- 
mentation rapidly.  This  layer  should  be  about  one  inch  thick.  Lastly, 
sprinkle  about  an  inch  of  loose  dirt,  and  over  all  place  a  roof  tight  enough 
to  keep  out  ram  and  sun,  but  open  under  the  eaves. 

These  preparations  completed,  bide  your  time  and  the  coming  of  the 
muck  flies  which  will  take  possession  and  lay  their  eggs.  In  a  few  days 
the  pit  will  be  swarming  with  maggots,  and  a  feast  for  your  fowls  be  of 
easy  access.  By  making  two  or  three  pits,  a  constant  supply  will  be  fur- 
nished, which  will  stand  in  the  stead  of  much  other  animal  food  and  effect 
quite  a  saving. 

So  far  so  good — or  perhaps  so  bad.  There  is  something  mean  and  dis- 
gusting about  this  process,  and  meal  worms  are  neater,  though  perhaps 
not  one  whit  more  healthful  for  the  chicks.  First,  what  is  a  meal  worm  ? 
m&ny  will  ask.  A  meal  worm  is  the  article  so  often  found  in  ship's  biscuit 
and  the  "  hard  tack  "  used  in  war.  It  frequents  granaries  and  bakeries, 
and  does  much  damage  by  boring  through  sacks  of  meal  and  flour. 


94  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.     . 

Although  a  peat,  its  pure  food  makes  it  very  cleanly  and  a  delicate  tid-bit  for 
young  chicks. 

To  produce  these  worms  in  quantities  it  is  only  needful  to  get  a  small 
stock,  say  three  hundred,  and  place  them  in  an  earthen  jar  wiih  scraps  of 
old  leather  and  other  refuse  animal  matter  mixed  with  bran  and  refuse 
meal.  Place  some  cotton  waste  on  the  mass  and  keep  it  moist  with  water, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  worms  will  increase  at  an.  almost  incredible  rate. 
In  sixty  days  there  will  be  enough  to  give  the  chicks  a  meal  daily. 

Fresh  fish  make  a  mild,  nourishing  animal  food  for  young  chicks.  There 
is  quite  a  host  of  our  readers  who  live  near  large  bodies  of  water  or  rivers 
where  fishing  is  carried  on  during  almost  all  months  of  the  year  when  the 
water  is  open  and  free  from  ice.  Many  of  the  small  fish  are  either  left  to 
decay  on  the  shores,  or  to  be  devoured  by  gulls  and  other  birds.  Many  cart- 
loads of  them  are  annually  used  as  manure.  There  is  a  far  better  use  for 
a  part  of  these  offal  fish,  and  that  is,  as  poultry  food,  for  which  they  are 
valuable,  especially  to  fowls  in  confinement. 

There  are  several  ways  of  preparing  the  fish,  but  the  best  and  simplest 
is  to  take  a  portable  boiler  about  half  full  of  fish,  fill  up  with  cold  water 
and  start  your  fire.  As  soon  as  the  water  comes  to  a  good  boil,  the  fish 
will  be  sufficiently  cooked  and  ready  to  be  removed.  When  the  fish  are 
cooked  they  fall  to  pieces.  Now  take  some  of  the  fish,  bones  and  all,  and 
mix  corn-meal  with  this  and  the  liquid  the  fish  were  boiled  in,  and  you 
have  a  mess  which  the  young  birds  will  greedily  devour  and  will  thrive 
upon.  Do  not  feed  too  much  at  a  time  nor  oftener  than  every  other  day 
on  this  food,  for  too  much  of  a  good  thing  is  as  bad  as  not  any.  Some  per- 
sons on  the  shore  or  near  the  fisheries  cook  a  small  mess  fresh  for  their 
fowls  every  other  day,  while  others  with  large  flocks  of  fowls  and  ducks 
cook  a  barrel  at  a  time  and  make  a  slop  with  them,  the  juice  they  are 
cooked  in  and  bran,  corn-meal  or  corn  and  oats  ground,  mixed  with  it, 
feeding  the  mess  with  evident  good  results. 

But  in  the  absence  of  fish,  potatoes  boiled  in  milk,  where  there  is  plenty 
of  the  latter  upon  the  place,  is  an  admirable  preparation  to  feed  to  young 
growing  chicks.  A  mixture  of  one-third  corn-meal  and  wheat  bran,  with 
the  above,  if  given  to  them  fresh  every  day,  will  make  the  young  chicks 
grow  wonderfully,  more  especially  if  they  have  a  run  at  large  in  the  fields, 
where  they  can  exercise  themselves  properly  by  hunting  and  chasing  insects, 
grasshoppers,  etc. 

It  will  not  pay  to  purchase  milk  for  this  purpose,  probably,  although 
this  depends  upon  circumstances.  But  upon  the  country  estate  there  is 
always  surplus  milk  (sweet  or  sour)  that  is  thrown  to  the  pigs.  Give  this 
to  the  young  poultry,  and  it  may  thus  be  turned  to  better  account.  And 
although  sweet  milk  is  better  than  stale  for  this  purpose,  yet  any  kind  of 
skimmed  milk,  sour  milk,  whey,  buttermilk,  or  bonnaclabber,  is  excellent 
to  mix  the  dough  with,  which  is  fed  to  chickens.  Try  this,  you  in  the  coun- 
try who  have  been  in  the  habit  of  throwing  your  waste  milk  into  the  hog- 
pen; and  as  for  the  poultry  raiser  in  village  or  suburbs  of  the  city,  latterly 
the  advent  of  creameries  has  in  some  cases  placed  within  his  reach  skim- 
milk  peddled  from  these  establishments  at  low  prices. — Poultry  World. 

Poultry  Jottings. — I  am  satisfied  that  Dark  Brahmas  can  be  kept  on 
less  food,  considering  their  weight,  than  the  smaller  varieties.  The  heavy 
Brahmas  keep  in  a  better  condition  than  the  email,  active  breeds.  The 
Brahmas  eat  what  they  want  and  are  satisfied* but  the  Leghorns,  the  Games 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  95 

or  the  Hamburga,  will  fly  all  over  you  for  more  if  you  go  into  the  yarcL 
1  have  kept  both,  and  the  Games,  the  Hamburghs  and  the  Leghorns 
would  always  appear  to  be  hungry,  while  the  Brahmas  would  be  satisfied 
with  what  they  had  eaten— as  it  is  not  half  so  difficult  to  fatten  a  Shorthorn 
as  it  is  a  Jersey. 

The  Gross  for  Eggs.— If  I  cared  only  for  eggs  I  would  cross  a  Wyandotte 
cock  on  Plymouth  Rock  hens.  I  have  a  friend  who  has  kept  that  cross  for 
several  years  with  the  most  remarkable  results.  Most  ot  the  pullets  from 
this  cross  are  a  lustrous  black,  about  tbe  sjze  of  Plymouth  Rocks,  and  the 
best  layers  I  know  of.  She  says  they  lay  all  the  time,  but  that  being  not 
explicit  enough,  I  induced  her  to  keep  a  record.  Last  September  she  re- 
ported 105  eggs  from  five-hens  17  months  old.  Her  young  pullets  had  not 
commenced  to  lay  then;  pullets  commencs  to  lay  at  seven  months  old.  As 
a  rule  hens  do  not  lay  as  well  in  September  as  in  the  spring,  but  tbat  record 
is  good  enough  for  any  month.  They  have  clean,  dark  legs,  yellow  skin, 
plump  bodies,  and  when  dressed  are  as  handsome  poultry  as  one  could 
wish;  cockerels  dressing  about  12  pounds  per  pair  at  six  months  old.  The 
cockerels  are  usually  the  color  of  Plymouth  Rocks  and  have  yellow  legs. 

YeUow  Skin  an  American  Taste. — The  fancy  for  yellow  skin  and  yellow 
shanks  is  purely  American  and  without  any  good  reason.  An  Englishman 
once  said  of  our  Plymouth  Rocks  and  Wyandottes,  "  They  would  be  a  fine  fowl 
if  they  hadn't  those  blasted  low  shanks  and  yellow  skin  " — the  white-legged 
and  white-skinned  Dorking  being  the  English  ideal  for  a  table  fowl.  The 
Dorking,  Houdan  and  Game  are  admitted  the  world  over,  when  cooked,  to 
have  no  superiors,  yet  neither  has  yellow  skin  nor  yellow  legs.  The  par- 
tridge, quail,  woodcock  and  snipe  are  all  dark-legged,  white-skinned 
birds,  and  none  will  call  them  inferior  to  our  yellow  legged  chickens;  no- 
body eats  the  shanks,  and  many  do  not  eat  the  skin.  No  yellow-legged  fowl 
I  have  ever  seen  compares  favorably  in  smallness  of  bone  or  plumpness  of 
body  with  any  of  the  fowls  or  bird3  just  named;  yet  it  will  pay  the  farmer 
best  to  raise  what  there  is  the  greatest  demand  for,  therefore  in  Massachu- 
setts we  must  raise  fowls  with  yellow  legs  and  skin. 

Eggs  Affected  by  the  Feed.— Eggs  are  as  sensitive  as  butler  or  milk,  and 
as  easily  affected  by  the  food  or  water.  Feed  your  hens  onions  to-day,  and 
to-morrow's  eggs  will  have  a  flavor  and  odor  that  no  one  can  mistake.  The 
same  occurs  where  hens  feed  on  the  manure  pile  and  drink  barnyard  water; 
the  eggs  will  remind  one  of  badly  prepared  tripe,  Mr.  Felch  says  celery 
fed  to  ducks  a  few  days  before  they  are  killed  imparts  its  flavor  to  the  meat; 
it  is  true,  the  same  occurs  when  hens  eat  filth.  Much  is  said  about  the 
color:  Dark  shell  eggs  bring  several  cents  more  than  white  ones  in  this 
market;  and  I  think  they  are  certainly  as  good  if  not  better.  The  best  way 
to  preserve  eggs  is  to  use  them  while  they  are  fresh. 

Good  Land  for  Poultry.— It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  land  good  for 
nothing  else  is  good  enough  for  a  poultry  farm.  The  best  land  for  other 
crops  will  produce  the  best  crop  of  chickens;  on  rich  land  they  find  the 
most  insects  and  young,  tender  vegetable  growth,  that  goes  so  far  to 
make  them  profitable.  I  am  surprised  that  young  men  do  not  secure  small 
farms  that  can  be  purchased  at  moderate  cost,  a  short  distance  from  mar- 
ket, and  engage  in  poultry  culture,  instead  of  crowding  into  stores  and  fac- 
tories. In  the  poultry  business  there  is  no  danger  of  strikes  just  when  you 
have  the  most  orders;  no  committee  can  induce  your  hens  to  quit  work  if 
you  take  good  care  of  them.  Keep  a  good  dog  or  two  and  a  shot-gun,  and 
if  any  "  committees  "  coma  aions,  day  or  night,  to  do  "  business  "  with 


96  STAND ABD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

your  hens,  you  will  be  all  right.— From  H.  A.  Mansfield's  Address  before 
the  New  England  Farmers'  Meeting. 

Poultry  "Notes— At  the  seasons  when  hens  are  laying  abundantly,  lime 
should  be  kept  before  them  at  all  times,  or  there  is  liability  of  soft-shelled 
eggs.  The  best  way  of  feeding  lime  is  in  the  form  of  raw,  crushed  bones  or 
oyster  shells. 

Young  chickens  need  animal  food.  When  it  fails  to  do  them  good  it  is 
in  consequence  ot  the  common  fault  of  over-feeding.  They  cannot  bear 
large  rations  of  rich  food.  Watch  the  mother  hen  at  liberty  scratching  for 
her  young  brood,  and  see  how  infrequent  and  how  small  the  morsels  and 
how  many  the  competitive  mouths.  A  method  has  been  recommended  for 
producing  maggots  as  food  not  only  for  chickens  but  old  fowls. 

The  first  step  is  to  dig  a  trench  a  foot  deep  and  six  feet  square,  and 
brick  it  up  or  cement  the  sides,  so  that  none  of  the  maggots  can  escape. 
Then  throw  in  enough  straw  that  has  been  used  as  bedding  for  horses  to 
make  a  layer  three  inches  thick.  On  this  place  a  layer  of  horse  manure  a 
couple  of  inches  thick.  Next  make  a  layer  of  scraps  from  the  table,  Indian 
meal,  yeast  and  almost  anything  which  will  cause  fermentation  rapidly. 
Lastly  sprinkle  about  an  inch  of  loose  dirt,  and  over  all  place  a  roof  tight 
enough  to  keep  out  rain  and  sun,  but  open  under  the  eaves.  Soon  the 
muck  flies  will  come  and  take  possession  and  lay  their  eggs.  In  a  few  days 
the  pit  will  be  swarmed  with  maggots,  supplying  a  feast  for  young  fowls. 

.Fresh  fish  make  a  mild  nourishing  animal  food  for  young  chicks.  The 
best  and  simplest  way  of  preparing  fish  is  to  take  a  portable  boiler  about 
half  full  offish,  fill  up  with  cold  water,  and  start  a  fire.  As  soon  as  the 
water  comes  to  a  good  boil,  the  fish  will  be  sufficiently  cooked.  When  the 
fish  are  cooked  they  fall  to  pieces.  Take  some  of  the  fish,  bones  and  all, 
and  mix  corn  meal  with  this  and  the  liquid  the  fish  were  boiled  in,  and  a 
mess  is  furnished  which  the  young  birds  will  greedily  devour. 

In  the  absence  of  fish,  potatoes  boiled  in  milk,  where  there  is  plenty  of 
the  latter,  is  an  admirable  preparation  for  feeding  to  young,  growing  chicks. 
A  mixture  of  one-third  corn  meal  and  wheat  bran  with  the  above  will  make 
the  young  chicks  grow  wonderfully  if  given  fresh  every  day.  The  best  feed 
for  sitting  hens  is  plenty  of  good,  sound,  whole  corn.  They  should  have 
plenty  of  fresh  water  to  drink.     ■ 

Tarred  paper  applied  to  the  outside  of  the  building  and  exposed  to  all 
kinds  of  weather,  if  put  on  with  care,  will  last  two  seasons.  Tarred  paper 
applied  to  the  inside  of  buildings  will  be  of  some  service  in  protect- 
ing fowls  against  vermin. 

Mark  the  date  of  collection  on  all  eggs  gathered  and  you  will  know  just 
which  ones  to  set  If  possible,  make  the  nests  upon  the  ground.  If  not, 
place  a  fresh-cut  grass  sod  at  the  bottom  of  the  box,  and  sprinkle  sulphur 
or  coarse  snuff  upon  the  nest  to  keep  off  vermin. 

While  fine  hay  or  fine,  well-broken  straw  makes  good  nests,  a  very  good 
nest  can  be  made  with  wood  shavings,  selecting  only  the  thinnest  and  softest. 
They  can  be  lightly  sprinkled  with  diluted  carbolic  acid  to  keep  away  lice. 
Being  very  porous,  they  will  retain  the  smell  and  affect  of  the  acid  much 
longer  than  any  other  material. 

In  preparing  the  nests  of  your  sitting  hens,  make  the  nests  to  fit  as 
nearly  as  possible  the  shape  of  the  hen's  body.  Use  damp  earth,  as  it  is 
easily  shaped,  and  serves  the  purpose  of  furnishing  the  eggs  with  needed 
moisture.    In  case  trouble  may  be  expected  from  rats,  cover  the  nest,  hen 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  M 

and  all,  every  night  with  a  box  having  wire  cloth  at  the  ends  or  sides,  to 
let  in  air. 

Hay  is  somewhat  objectionable  for  nests,  as  the  seeds  sometimes  bait 
the  mice,  and  again,  the  hens  are  likely  to  scratch  for  hayseed,  and  thus 
break  the  eggs.  Straw,  well-broken  and  made  soft,  is  a  much  better  ma' 
terial.  D'  ^not  cut  the  straw  in  a  machine,  as  that  fills  the  nests  with  sharp 
points  which  prick  the  hen  and  annoy  the  young  chicks.  Shavings,  as  men' 
tioned  above,  are  very  desirable  for  nests. 

Keep  the  nest  of  your  sitters  free  from  lice  during  the  whole  term  of  in- 
cubation. There  are  many  methods  adapted  to  assist  the  fowl  keeper  in 
this  matter.  Tobacco,  snuff,  whale  oil,  sulphur,  kerosene  oil,  carbolio 
powder  and  acid,  coarse  pepper-sittings,  are  applied  upon  the  fowl  under 
the  feathers,  upon  the  roosts  and  in  the  nests,  with  various  results  more  or 
less  successful.  Nothing  is  so  good  for  general  use  in  our  opinion  as  the 
Persian  or  Dalmation  insect  powder  for  the  absolute  annihilation  of  lice. 
Common,  cheap  sulphur  may  be  obtained  at  any  druggist's.  Scatter  it  in 
the  nests  and  under  the  feathers  of  the  sitting  hens.  To  rid  the  hens  of 
lice,  dust  them  with  flour  of  sulphur  by  night.  The  heat  of  the  hen's  body 
in  the  nest  causes  the  sulphur  continually  to  give  off  a  smell  which  keeps 
lice  and  other  vermin  at  a  reasonable  distance. 

For  a  regular  spring  fumigation,  turn  out  the  fowls  some  cool  or  damp 
day  and  then  close  all  crack  in  the  house  except  the  door.  Take  a  kettle  of 
live  coals  and  place  on  the  ground,  or,  if  there  is  a  wood  floor,  upon  a  iat 
stone  which  may  be  provided.  Throw  a  half-pound  or  pound  of  sulphur 
upon  the  coals  and  shut  the  door,  leaving  the  house  closed  for  a  few  hours. 
Others  clean  the  house  as  well  as  possible  and  whitewash  with  fresh  lime, 
slapping  the  brush  vigorously  at  all  the  cracks,  and  sealing  them  hermeth 
cally,  after  which  applying  kerosene  to  the  roosts. 

Let  your  sitling  hen  come  off  the  nest  daily.  Allow  her  to  roll  in  a  dust 
box  near  by.  Give  her  food  and  drink  regularly.  In  cold  weather  see  that 
she  goeu  back  before  the  eggs  chill.  Cover  her  sitting  box  with  course 
bagging  if  she  seems  inclined  to  give  up  her  work.  Mix  a  little  powdered 
charcoa'.  with  the  soft  feed  and  it  will  assist  digestion  and  prevent  dis« 
ease. 

This  is  a  good  time  to  sow  grain  in  the  freshly  spaded  runs.  In  a  short 
time  it  will  sprout  up  and  be  a  very  attractive  food.  Plant  Russian  sun- 
flower seeds,  in  rows  three  feet  apart  and  hills  two-and-a-half  leet  in  the 
row.  Plant  two  seeds  in  a  hill  and  thin  out  to  one  stalk  when  the  plants 
are  a  couple  of  inches  high. 

Some  chickens  die  because  of  the  toughness  of  the  skin  which  lines  the 
shell,  the  young  things  not  being  able  to  break  through  it.  Help  may  be 
rendered,  if  you  are  very  skilllul,  by  carefully  removing  the  shell  and  skin 
at  the  large  end  of  the  egg,  about  one-third  of  the  length.  This  may  be 
done  when  the  time  is  up.  If  it  is  done  prematurely  or  before  the  yelk  is 
entirely  taken  up,  bleeding  will  ensue  and  death  will  be  the  result. 

The  compound  of  two-thirds  wheat  bran  to  one-third  meal,  wet  with 
skim  milk  and  fed  in  the  morning  warm,  has  a  good  egg-producing  effect. 
This  is  far  better  than  clear  meal.  The  bran  does  not  tend  to  fat,  and  the 
milk  is  even  better  than  meat  in  the  production  of  eggs.  Fowls  may  eat 
too  much  meat  for  health,  but  of  milk  they  may  drink  all  they  wish. 

Always  set  your  hens  in  the  evening  rather  than  by  daylight.  They  will 
be  more  sure  to  stick  in  the  nests  afterwards.  Fcr  two  or  three  days  at 
first  be  careful  that  the  bene  are  kept  undisturbed.    Clean  out  thoroughly 


98  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

the  nests  which  have  been  used  by  sitters.  Ventilate  and  whitewash  them 
and  sprinkle  them  with  carbolic  acid  diluted  or  with  insect  powder  before 
using  them  a  second  time.  A  force  pump  throwing  a  spray  is  used  some- 
times in  throwing  whitewash  and  other  lice-killing  liquid  into  the  cracks 
and  crevices  of  the  poultry  quarters. 

Make  coverings  of  leather  or  strong  cloth,  and  fasten  them  on  the  spurs 
of  your  gobblers.  Round  off  the  points  of  his  claws  at  this  time  of  the  year. 
If  he  is  very  large  this  is  important.  Ducklings  are  very  delicate  birds, 
and  if  hatched  early  should  be  kept  away  from  the  water.  At  this  season 
it  is  better  to  allow  them  to  get  four  weeks  old  before  allowing  them  to  swimP 
otherwise  they  chill,  as  their  down  is  no  protection  against  cold  and  wet, 
not  being  oily  as  is  the  case  with  the  down  of  wild  ducklings. 

The  situation  for  the  fowl  house  should  always  be  chosen  in  a  dry  place; 
better  still  if  placed  upon  elevated  ground.  It  should  face  east  and  south 
if  possible,  in  order  to  catch  the  rays  of  the  morning  sun,  and  that  the  flock 
may  enjoy  the  sun  warmth  in  the  afternoon  in  winter. 

Stagnant  or  damp  soil  beneath  the  hen  house  is  bad  for  poultry.  They 
cannot  be  kept  healthy  in  such  a  situation.  The  best  soil  for  the  hennery 
to  occupy  is  a  dry,  sandy  or  gravelly  one.  A  wet,  soggy  foundation  to  the 
hennery  is  fatal  to  the  well-being  of  the  stock  confined  in  it. 

Light,  warmth  from  the  sun's  rays,  thorough  ventilation,  and  an  interior 
that  can  always  be  kept  dry,  are  the  prime  needs  for  a  good  healthy  fowl 
house. 

Variety  in  food  is  an  indispensable  requisite  of  success.  Fowls  may  be 
made  to  live  when  fed  upon  any  single  article  of  diet,  but  profits  under 
such  circumstances  are  not  to  be  expected.  Variety  in  diet  promotes 
health,  and  health  secures  the  activity  of  the  reproductive  organs.  Fresh 
water  is  indispensable.    Foul  water  leads  to  disease. 

Fowls  should  never  be  allowed  to  enter  barns  or  stables,  as  they  will 
foul  more  hay  and  feed  than  their  eggs  are  worth.  Their  domains  should 
be  entirely  separated  from  those  of  horses  and  cattle.  Not  only  are  vermin 
from  poultry  sometimes  communicated  to  horses  stabled  in  their  neighbor- 
hood, but  the  specially  filthy  and  offensive  excrements  of  the  fowls  defiles 
the  hay  and  grains. 

A  young  and  nervous  horse,  unused  to  fowls,  is  often  frightened  if,  by 
accident  or  otherwise,  a  cackling,  scratching  troop  of  hens  finds  entrance  to 
his  stable,  and  he  will  resign  his  oats  to  the  petty  thieves  and  stand  trem- 
bling while  they  devour  his  well-earned  dinner.  Be  sure  that  stable  doors 
and  windows  are  so  arranged  that  neither  domestic  fowls  nor  pigeons  can 
enter  and  annoy  the  rightful  occupants. 

No  doubt  the  hens  like  the  range  of  a  barn  in  winter.  They  can  pick 
hay  seed  and  clover  leaves  much  to  their  advantage.  The  best  method, 
however,  is  to  gather  up  the  dried  blossoms,  leaves  and  seeds,  with  other 
chaff,  and  deposit  the  same  in  the  poultry  house,  where  the  fowls  can 
scratch  it  over  at  their  leisure. 

It  is  well  to  season  lightly  the  food  of  all  fowls  both  young  and  old.  The 
digestive  organs  of  all  animals  abhor  a  flavorless  article  of  food.  Some 
sort  of  stimulant  is  necessary  to  gently  urge  the  digestive  organs  while  at 
their  work.  A  very  little  salt,  pepper,  mustard  or  ginger,  and  other  things 
of  a  like  nature,  is  sufficient  to  give  a  flavor  to  the  poultry  mush  or  to  the 
cooked  vegetables. 

For  feeding  young  chicks  a  few  bread  crumbs  soaked  in  milk  are  the 
best  things  for  the  first  two  or  three  days.    Feed  only  a  very  small  quantity, 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR.  99 

When  they  get  older  they  may  have  a  variety  of  grains  and  vegetables. 
They  cannot  swallow  large  kernels  of  corn,  but  they  can  have  cracked  corn 
or  small  pop-corn.    Millet  seed  is  well  adapted  to  young  chickens. 

One  of  the  best  things  for  chickens  from  a  week  to  six  weeks  old  is 
bread,  not  the  ordinary  household  bread,  but  an  article  made  on  purpose 
for  chickens.  Mix  corn  meal  and  wheat  bran,  neither  the  fine  nor  the 
coarse  bran  entirely,  but  a  little  of  both,  with  some  fine  rye  or  wheat  flour 
to  give  it  consistency.  Put  in  water  enough  to  make  a  dough,  add  a  little 
salt  and  bake  it  in  an  oven  as  if  for  the  family.  This  cheap  bread  can  be 
used  to  great  advantage  for  young  chickens  by  breaking  or  rubbing  it  into 
crumbs  or  by  soaking  it  in  milk  until  it  becomes  soft  and  can  be  eaten 
readily.  Never  give  too  much  food.  Allow  your  chickens  to  leave  off 
hungry.  Thousands  of  young  chickens  are  killed  every  year  by  gorging 
with  rich  food. 

For  well-grown  fowls  a  feed  of  whole  corn  at  the  evening  meal  is  excel- 
lent, because  it  digests  so  slowly  that  the  fowls  will  have  something  in  their 
crops  all  night.  The  digestive  organs  do  not  slumber,  but  keep  at  their 
work  the  whole  night  long.  In  cold  weather,  especially,  the  food  in  the 
crop  gives  strength  and  support  and  power  to  resist  the  cold  of  the  small 
hours,  when,  if  the  crop  was  empty,  the  birds  would  not  be  so  well 
nourished. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  boil  fiah  before  feeding  to  poultry,  although  raw  fish, 
chopped  fine,  is  not  to  be  despised.  Meat  and  fish,  when  boiled,  form  a 
diet  more  nearly  resembling  the  soft  insects  which  are  procured  in  a  state 
of  nature  by  the  fowls.  If  you  boil  the  fish  no  other  preparation  is  needed 
if  they  are  placed  in  a  clean  spot.  The  fowls  will  pick  off  every  morsel  of 
flesh  from  the  bones. 

If  a  flooring  of  boards  is  used  when  the  poultry  house  is  built,  it  will  be 
advisable  to  cover  the  same  with  dry  earth.  If  in  a  dry  spot,  the  floor  may 
be  dispensed  with  and  the  earth  may  be  used  for  the  floor.  The  tainted  earth 
can  occasionally  be  removed  to  the  depth  of  six  or  eight  inches  and  its 
place  supplied  with  fresh  earth.  If  dependence  is  placed  upon  an  earth 
floor,  it  must  of  course  be  a  little  above  the  surrounding  ground,  to  provide 
good  drainage.  It  is  cheaper  to  build  the  house  upon  a  little  knoll  or  rise 
of  ground,  or  to  raise  a  little  mound  of  earth  before  the  house  is  built,  than 
to  carry  the  earth  into  the  structure  afterwards. — The  Poultry  World. 

Polish  Fowls— The  principal  varieties  of  Polish  fowl  are  the  white- 
crested  black,  golden,  silver  and  buff.  The  black  with  white  crest  seems 
to  be  distinct  from  the  other  sub-varieties.  It  is  beardless,  while  the  others 
are  generally  bearded.  In  the  Golden  Poland,  the  cock  is  of  a  bay  color 
throughout  intermixed  with  black  lacings.  The  wing-coverts  and  second- 
aries should  be  of  this  bay  laced  with  black,  as  also  the  breast  and  the  tail, 
and  if  the  beard  be  brown  laced  with  black,  it  is  preferable  to  a  beard 
entirely  black.  The  crest  should  be  large  and  well  formed.  In  birds  above 
a  year  old  there  is  often  a  tendency  to  a  little  of  grayness  in  the  cock's  tail, 
but  the  presence  of  any  white  or  gray  feathers  in  any  part  of  the  cock's 
plumage  is  objectionable.  The  Golden  Polish  hen  is  quite  as  beautiful  a 
bird  as  her  mate.  She  should  be  of  a  very  rich  bay  color  throughout,  each 
feather  being  accurately  and  evenly  laced  with  black  from  the  crest  to  the 
tail.  The  crest  in  young  birds  is  often  much  darker  than  the  rest  of  the 
plumage.  It  gets  lighter  and  generally  white  at  the  first  moult.  The  beard 
is  often  black  or  very  dark,  but  it  is  better  laced. 


100  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  ROOA. 

Size  is  not  considered  a  point  of  vital  importance  in  the  Polish  fowl,  but 
the  larger  they  are  the  better  they  are  appreciated.  All  the  bearded  Polish 
fowls  are  adorned  by  very  voluminous  neck-hackles,  and  the  thicker  and 
bushier  their  necks,  the  handsomer  is  the  bird's  appearance. 

In  the  sub-varieties,  the  crest  is  the  main  or  characteristic  feature,  and 
a  large  and  well-shaped  top-knot  is  greatly  to  be  desired. 

Polish  fowls,  although  so  exceedingly  beautiful,  are  very  hardy.  They 
require  little  care  to  keep  them  in  health.  The  white-crested  blacks  are 
the  least  hardy  and  the  most  liable  to  catch  cold  in  bad  weather,  still,  even 
they  are  much  hardier  than  many  of  our  breeds  of  fancy  poultry. 

Polish  chickens  are  easy  to  rear,  and  require  little  extra  care  beyond 
that  of  any  chickens  of  hardy  breeds.  The  chief  difficulty  with  them  is  that 
the  larger  the  crest  of  the  young  ones  the  greater  the  liability  to  loss, 
because  P«';«ft  chickens  are  of  very  roving  habits,  and  they  will  often  roam 
to  a  considerable  distance  from  home  if  they  have  the  chaaee,  and  if  very 
large  in  crest,  may  experience  some  difficulty  in  finding  their  way  IwK, 
again.  Some  clip  the  sides  of  the  crest  of  young  birds.  It  is  considered  a 
good  practice,  if  a  good  supply  of  eggs  during  the  breeding  season  is 
wanted,  to  clip  the  crest  of  the  breeding  stock.  Many  more  eggs  are 
secured  from  the  same  birds  than  if  left  undipped.  It  no  doubt  spoils  their 
appearance  for  the  time  being,  but  they  come  out  all  right  again  at  the 
moulting  season. 

In  mating  Golden  Polish  fowls  for  breeding  purposes,  it  is  better  to  put 
lightly  marked  birds  with  heavily  marked  ones  of  the  opposite  sex,  rather 
than  all  heavy  or  all  light  in  marking.  Experts  prefer  to  put  a  light  cock 
to  dark  hens,  rather  than  a  dark  cock  to  light  hens.  The  produce  is  of 
better  quality  from  birds  mated  thus  than  from  dark  cocks  and  light  hens.  No 
breed  looks  better  in  the  exhibition  pen  than  these  ornamental  Polish  fowls. 

Using  Old  Hens— The  oft-repeated  advice  to  sell  off  the  old  hens 
should  not  always  be  iollowed.  Something  depends,  however,  upon 
whether  the  hens  are  kept  simply  to  supply  eggs  for  culinary  purposes  or 
for  hatching.  The  pullet  hatched  in  spring,  say  April  or  May,  will  often 
begin  to  lay  when  she  is  six  months  old  (or  sooner  if  of  a  small  breed),  but 
she  will  not  be  fully  matured  until  she  arrives  at  the  age  of  one  year.  The 
cousequence  is  that  while  she  will  lay  she  will  be  growing  at  the  same 
time,  and  is  therefore  not  competent  to  produce  eggs  that  will  give  satis- 
factory results  when  used  for  incubation.  Her  powers  are  doubly  taxed, 
and  her  offspring  will  be  weak  unless  she  is  mated  with  a  vigorous,  strong, 
and  active  cock.  Those  who  have  taken  pains  to  secure  fine,  healthy 
pullets  haye  been  disappointed  in  raising  them  on  farms  where  incubators 
are  operated,  as  they  lay  small  eggs,  and  often  begin  to  lay  so  early  as  to 
produce  eggs  no  larger  than  those  from  a  pigeon. 

If  eggs  are  desired  for  hatching  purposes,  use  hens  that  are  in  their  sec- 
ond year  (over  one  year  old),  and  mate  them  with  a  cockerel  that  is  at 
least  one  year  old,  and  the  result  will  be  that  a  greater  proportion  of  eggs 
will  hatch,  while  the  chicks  therefrom  will  be  strong  and  easy  to  raise.  It 
has  been  said  that  a  hen  becomes  less  valuable  after  she  is  two  years  old, 
but  it  is  safe  to  assert  that  she  will  lay  well  until  she  is  four  years  old,  and 
although  she  may  not  lay  quite  as  many  as  a  pullet  nearly  grown,  yet  her 
eggs  will  hatch  better,  and  a  larger  number  of  chicks  secured  from  her.  But, 
it  may  be  added,  do  not  forget  the  fact  that  pure-bred,  strong,  vigorous 
cocks  must  be  used  in  the  flock. 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  101 

Rapid  Growth  of  Ducks. — Wo  have  experimented  with  a  brood  of 
young  ducks,  of  all  kinds— common,  Kouen,  Pekiu  and  crossed— in  order  to 
observe  their  growth.  When  very  young  they  were  attacked  by  cramps, 
but  it  was  discovered  that  by  giving  them  tepid  water  to  drink,  instead  of 
that  very  cold,  they  were  no  longer  afflicted  in  that  manner.  Hence,  never 
give  cold  water  to  very  young  ducks.  At  birth,  ten  ducks,  together, 
weighed  one  pound;  a  week  later  the  same  number  weighed  two-and-a-half 
pounds;  the  second  week  the  ten  had  reached  four  pounds,  or  nearly  half 
a  pound  each  when  two  weeks  old. 

Mixed  Breeds— We  do  not  mean  crossed  fowls,  but  those  of  all  colors, 
shapes,  and  sizes.  What  is  the  use  of  keeping  hens  that  vary  in  every  par- 
ticular when  a  uniform  flock  is  so  much  more  attractive  ?  It  is  very  easy 
to  change  a  flock.  By  using  a  pure-bred  rooster  the  chicks  will  be  very 
nearly  alike,  and,  if  the  best  of  them  are  kept  as  layers,  the  result  will  be 
that  the  poultryman  can  breed  with  greater  certainty  and  also  avoid  having 
dissimilarity.  By  then  using  a  pure-bred  male  every  season  thereafter, 
the  flock  will  soon  consist  of  hens  so  uniformly  alike  as  to  render  it  difficult 
to  distinguish  one  from  the  other. 

Buying  Pure-Bred  Males. — In  summer  the  breeders  thin  out  their 
flocks  and  dispose  of  the  surplus.  These  are  usually  the  culls.  The  culls 
are  often  as  pure-bred  as  the  best,  but  not  being  fully  up  in  points  for  ex- 
hibition they  sell  at  a  lower  price  than  those  which  are  reserved  for  the 
shows.  In  writing  to  a  breeder,  therefore,  always  state  what  you  wish  to 
do  with  the  birds  you  desire  to  purchase.  Good  stock  demand  good  prices, 
but  in  a  short  time  from  now  the  yards  will  be  crowded  and  the  breeders 
will  sell  your  birds  at  much  less  than  the  prices  asked  in  spring.,  In  fact,  it 
is  often  impossible  to  procure  stock  in  the  spring  at  all. 

Poultry  on  the  Farm.— Compared  with  the  keeping  of  poultry  as  is 
now  done,  it  is  surprising  that  in  by-gone  years  farmers  were  not  content 
to  have  fowls  on  their  places  at  all.  Every  season  the  minks,  hawks,  owls, 
and  rats  reaped  an  annual  harvest  of  choice  chicks,  while  the  number  of 
eggs  lost,  or  destroyed  by  animals,  was  beyond  estimate.  The  hens  were 
allowed  to  run  at  large,  to  create  filth  in  the  barns  and  stables,  to  pick  up 
all  they  received,  and  roost  upon  the  limbs  of  trees  or  wherevor  a  lodg- 
ment could  be  found.  Despite  the  fact  that  the  farmers  gave  very  little  at- 
tention to  poultry,  yet  there  were  very  few  farms  that  did  not  contain  a  fair 
proportion  of  eggs  for  family  use,  and  many  well  filled  baskets  went  to  mar- 
ket when  other  produce  was  unprofitable.  At  the'present  day  our  farmers 
have  begun  to  learn  tbat  it  pays  to  keep  hens  in  a  systematic  and  careful 
manner,  and  that  they  are  most  profitable  when  cared  for  like  other  stock. 
The  progressive  spirit  of  the  age  has  compelled  better  treatment  of  all 
classes  of  stock,  and  though  poultry  usually  comes  in  at  the  end  of  the  list, 
yet  a  great  improvement  has  been  made  and  will  continue. 

Inquiries  About  Langshans. — Several  inquiries  have  been  made  re- 
garding Langshans  which  warrant  devoting  a  special  article  to  them.  The 
first  question  is  for  information  as  to  the  difference  between  a  Langshan 
and  Black  Cochin.  The  Langshan  is  an  active  bird,  and  can  fly,  while  the 
Cochin  cannot.  The  Cochin  has  feathers  on  the  middle  toe,  which,  on  the 
Langshan  should  not  be  the  case.  The  Cochin  has  a  short,  fluffy  taiL,  while 
the  Langshan  has  long,  flowing  sickles.    The  bottoms  of  the  feet  <tf  * > 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

o'ochins  are  yellow,  while  those  of  the  Langshan  are  pinkish  flesh  color. 
Regarding  their  qualities  the  Cochin  is  a  good  layer,  but  a  persistent 
sitter  when  it  settles  down  to  that  business.  The  Langshan  also  sits,  but  is 
not  so  persistent.  It  lays  more  eggs  than  the  Cochin,  and  can  be  kept  in 
confinement,  but  it  is  not  so  suitable  in  that  respect  as  the  Cochins.  Both 
breeds  are  excellent  for  the  table,  and  are  really  fine  birds  for  market,  but 
a  foolish  prejudice  against  dark  legs  injures  them  in  that  respect.  "When 
dressed,  the  skin  of  the  Cochin  is  a  golden  yellow,  but  that  of  the  Lang- 
shan is  white.    For  home  use  they  cannot  be  excelled. 

Will  it  Pay  to  Hatch  Broilers  in.  Summer  ? — Those  who  have 
hatched  chicks  early  and  secured  the  best  prices  will  not  be  easily  satisfied 
with  the  low  prices  that  usually  prevail  in  summer,  but  chicks  may  be 
profitably  hatched  at  this  season  if  a  large  number  are  brought  out.  The 
egg  from  which  the  chick  is  to  come  will  cost  one  cent,  and  the  food  should 
not  exceed  five  cents  per  pound.  At  thirteen  weeks  old  the  chicks  ought  !o 
weigh  at  least  two  and  one-half  pounds,  and  three  pounds  is  not  too  great 
for  that  age.  Now,  it  is  seldom  that  a  three-pound  chick  sells  for  less  than 
fifteen  cents  a  pound,  but  we  will  estimate  at  two  and  one-half  pounds 
weight,  at  ten  cents  a  pound,  or  twenty-five  cents  for  each  chick.  The  total 
cost  for  eggs  and  food  will  not  be  over  fifteen  cents  per  chick,  leaving  a 
profit  of  ten  cents.  This  seems  very  small,  but  it  is  a  large  profit.  The 
investment  is  only  fifteen  cents,  and  the  increase  66  2-3  cents  in  thir- 
teen weeks,  or  333  1-3  per  cent,  in  one  year.  But,  then,  there  is  the  labor. 
Labor,  however,  is  what  you  are  really  selling.  If,  by  expending  fifteen 
cents,  you  can  sell  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  worth  of  labor,  it  is  a 
good  investment,  even  when  viewed  in  that  light,  for  the  figures  show  it  to 
be  the  case. 

English,  and  American  Methods. — Whether  in  breeding  cattle, 
sheep,  or  poultry,  the  English  pay  more  attention  to  the  carcass  than  to 
the  productions  of  the  animals  or  birds.  While  we  in  America  prefer  sheep 
that  produce  wool,  the  English  give  wool  but  little  consideration  and  aim 
to  secure  a  large  carcass  of  mutton.  They  also  encourage  beef  producing 
cattle  in  preference  to  extraordinary  milkers.  Poultry  is  no  exception  to 
the  rule.  The  English  have  bred  their  fowls  especially  for  superiority  of 
the  carcass,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Dorkings  and  the  low,  heavy,  vulture- 
hocked  Asiatics.  They,  therefore,  sought  to  secure  the  compactness  of  the 
Cochin  in  the  Langshan  by  breeding  the  latter  close  to  the  Cochin  shape, 
while  we  seek  to  keep  the  two  breeds  as  distinct  as  possible.  There  are 
some  breeders  in  England,  however,  like  Croad,  who  will  not  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  *he  Cochin  form,  in  order  to  keep  the  Laugshans  pure.  We 
have  birds  in  this  country  better  than  those  in  England,  as  our  breeders  do 
not  overlook  the  laying  qualities.  To  keep  up  the  laying  qualities  should 
be  adhered  to,  as  the  birds  intended  for  market  may  be  produced  by  ju- 
dicious crossing,  for  we  have  not  only  all  the  English  breeds,  but  the 
American  varieties  also. 

Using  Thermometers  in  Incubators. — Just  where  to  place  the  ther- 
mometer in  an  incubator  has  been  almost  as  much  of  a  problem  as  opera- 
ting the  incubator  itself.  Some  who  have  tried  the  method,  insist  that  the 
bulb  of  the  thermometer  should  come  in  contact  with  &  fertile  egg,  as  the 
fertile  egg,  containing  a  chick,  is  warmer  than  one  that  is  infertile,  but  in 
comparing  the  plan  with  others  it  has  not  always  proved  successful.    The 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  103 

best  hatches  have  been  secured  by  placing  the  thermometer  between  the 
eggs,  the  upper  end  slightly  elevated,  and  the  bulb  half  way  between  the 
top  and  bottom  of  the  eggs.  If  the  bulb  of  the  thermometer  touches  the 
eggs  the  heat  will  be  entirely  influenced  by  the  heat  of  the  growing  chick, 
which  is  always  fluctuating,  at  times  rising  very  high  and  at  others  decreas- 
ing. Besides  this,  the  heat  from  no  two  chicks  will  be  the  same.  That 
from  a  strong  chick  will  be  greater  than  that  from  a  weak  one.  We  can 
safely  claim,  however,  that  when  the  bulb  does  not  touch  the  eggs,  but  lies 
between  them,  it  will  more  correctly  represent  the  temperature  of  the  egg 
drawer  and  the  heat  will  be  more  uniform.  Above  all  things,  however,  be 
sure  that  your  thermometer  records  correctly,  as  that  is  the  most  import- 
ant matter. 

Sacrificing  for  the  Shows. — Some  of  the  best  birds  in  the  country 
are  annually  sacrificed  because  they  may  not  be  suitable  specimens  for  the 
show  room,  and  it  is  a  system  that  is  doing  more  harm  to  the  poultry  inter- 
ests than  many  suppose.  Some  of  the  finest  Langshans  we  ever  saw  have 
been  disqualified  because  they  had  a  few  white  feathers  on  the  feet,  and 
yet  not  one  Langshan  in  a  hundred  is  free  from  it,  nor  does  it  indicate 
impurity.  At  the  recent  Worcester  show  the  judge  thought  a  certain  Wyan- 
dotte cockerel  worthy  of  the  first  prize,  yet  he  did  not  observe  a  small 
feather  on  one  of  the  legs.  In  such  a  case  the  bird  was  defective,  yet  he 
was  considered  worthy  of  being  advertised  as  a  prize  winner.  While  it 
may  be  necessary  to  adhere  to  standard  points  in  order  to  preserve  the 
purity  of  the  breed,  yet  it  is  not  progressive  to  sacrifice  an  excellent  bird 
simply  for  a  slight  blemish  on  the  comb  or  an  injury,  for  such  a  bird  may 
be  from  the  same  parents  as  the  prize  winners,  and  probably  capable  of 
producing  better  stock  than  those  more  fortunate.  Our  advice  is  that  if 
you  get  a  superior  laying  strain,  hold  on  to  it.  Get  well  marked  birds  if 
you  can,  but  do  not  sacrifice  those  that  have  only  slight  defects  if  they  have 
been  tried  and  are  good. 

How  to  Clean  the  Premises— First  remove  all  the  contents— nests, 
roosts,  and  boards  for  catching  the  droppings.  Then  slake  some  stone  lime 
with  warm  water,  and  make  a  bucket  of  thick  whitewash;  to  every  bucket 
of  whitewash  adding  a  tablespoonful  of  carbolic  acid.  Apply  it  thickly, 
outside  and  inside,  and  into  every  crack  and  crevice,  not  even  overlooking 
tbe  under  part  of  the  roof  and  the  floor.  With  a  sponge  apply  kerosene  to 
roost-poles,  nests,  and  boards,  first  cleaning  them  thoroughly,  and  set  fire 
to  them.  They  will  only  burn  until  the  oil  is  consumed,  while  the  fire  may 
be  easily  extinguished.  This  will  destroy  every  egg  or  parasite  on  them. 
They  may  be  again  anointed  with  kerosene  and  placed  in  their  proper 
positions  in  the  poultry  house.  Fill  the  bottoms  of  the  nests  with  dry  earth, 
mixing  a  teaspoonful  of  insect  powder  with  the  dirt.  Place  finely-cut  hay 
over  the  dirt,  and  sprinkle  a  little  insect  powder  and  tobacco  refuse  in  the 
hay.  The  house  will  then  be  clear  of  vermin.  All  filth  must  be  carefully 
removed,  while  the  old  nests  should  be  burned.  The  yards  should  now  be 
spaded,  so  as  to  render  them  clean.  By  thus  cleaning  the  premises  disease 
may  be  warded  off,  the  houses  disinfected  and  rendered  more  comfortable 
for  the  hens,  and  a  larger  number  of  eggs  secured. 

Crop-Bound.— This  troublesome  difficulty  is  not  a  disease,  but  is  due 
to  so  many  different  causes  that  it  is  impossible  to  know  where  the  one  giv- 
ing trouble  is  located.    It  is  simply  a  stoppage  of  the  passage  leading  from 


.,*  STANDARD    AME&fCAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

the  crop  to  the  gizzard.  A  piece  of  old  rope,  a  coil  of  string,  an  extra 
feeding  of  long,  coarse  grass,  old  rags,  and,  in  fact,  anything  that  may  be 
'ompacted  in  the  passage,  will  cause  crop-bound.  The  hen  will  be  very 
hungry  and  eat  all  that  may  be  placed  before  her,  for  the  reason  that  while 
Vr  crop  may  be  full  almost  to  the  point  of  bursting  yet  her  stomach  will  be 
jmpty  because  the  food  cannot  get  into  the  gizzard.  In  such  cases  draw 
the  skin  over  the  crop  to  one  side,  make  an  incision  about  an  inch  in  length 
Jnot  too  low  down),  remove  the  obstruction,  by  feeling  with  the  fingers  in 
the  passage  way  (first  removing  the  contents  of  the  crop),  and  sew  the  skin 
together  again.  The  skin  which  has  been  drawn  to  one  side  will  slip  over 
the  cut,  the  hen  will  feel  relieved,  and  no  harm  will  result.  Sometimes  the 
food,  if  clammy,  or  easily  compacted,  will  not  pass  into  the  gizzard.  Give 
the  birds  a  teaspoonful  of  lard,  and  work  the  contents  of  the  crop  with  the 
hand  until  the  hard  lump  has  softened,  and  it  may  effect  a  cure,  but  it  is 
always  better  to  cut  into  the  crop  rather  than  aJlow  the  fowl  to  starve.  You 
can  never  know  the  real  cause  of  the  difficulty  until  you  see  the  obstruction. 

How  to  Select  Your  Young  Rooster. — When  one  has  a  yard  full  of 
young  roosters  it  becomes  rather  difficult  to  make  a  selection,  especially  if 
they  are  somewhat  uniform.  The  majority  of  persons  usually  select  the 
one  that  is  larger  than  the  others,  especially  if  he  has  his  hackle  and  tail. 
The  proper  mode  to  select  is  to  observe  which  of  them  are  growing.  The 
forward  cockerels  have  ceased  to  grow  after  donning  their  full  plumage, 
but  the  one  that  is  large  and  looks  like  a  great  over-grown  chicken,  but  has 
no  hackle  or  tail,  will  be  larger  than  the  others.  It  is  best  to  select  a  medium- 
sized  cockerel,  but  activity  should  be  the  main  object. 

Hens  in  Wet  Weather.— The  damp,  wet  seasons  are  more  injurious  to 
the  fowls  than  is  the  cold,  dry  weather  of  winter.    Dampness  is  the  source 

Ji  one-half  the  diseases.  It  is  not  so  much  the  amount  of  water  they  come 
jx  actual  contact  with  as  the  constant  humidity  of  the  air  and  dampness  of 

beir  surroundings.  Damp  weather  means  an  accumulation  of  mud  and 
jlth  in  the  yards  and  coops,  which  is  always  in  a  state  of  decomposition, 
and  a  source  of  annoyance.    To  avoid  this  difficulty  the  coops  should  be 

leaned  daily  and  the  floors  sprinkled  with  fine,  dry  land  plaster,  or  dry 

Arth.  The  yards  should  be  drained,  and  every  precaution  used  to  turn 
the  water  away.  In  the  case  of  chicks  they  quickly  succumb  to  dampness. 
The  moisture  is  constantly  being  evaporated,  thus  carrying  off  the  animal 
heat.  The  same  is  true  of  adult  fowls.  They  do  not  get  wet  so  far  as  the 
water  passing  through  the  feathers  on  their  backs  is  concerned,  but  the 
under  parts  of  their  bodies  have  no  protection  against  the  water  on  the 
ground,  which  soaks  in  and  chills  them,  the  result  being  roup  and  other 
diseases  which  arise  from  colds.  A  few  pinches  of  red  pepper  in  the  food 
is  excellent  for  them  at  such  times. 

Combination  Summer  Foods— Corn  should  be  left  out  of  the  food 
altogether  during  the  summer,  as  it  is  too  heating,  and  largely  conduces  to 
fat.  If  the  hens  are  fed  twice  a  day  the  meal  in  the  morning  should  be 
composed  of  whatever  is  intended  for  them  other  than  whole  grains.  An 
excellent  mixture  is  ten  pounds  of  ground  oats,  three  pounds  of  bran,  two 
pounds  of  middlings,  and  two  pounds  of  ground  meat  (or  meat  in  any 
shape).  Scald  with  boiling  water,  and  add  a  teaspoonful  of  salt  for  every 
twenty  hens.  A  tablespoonful  of  the  mixture  in  the  morning  is  enough, 
as  it  should  be  the  aim  not  to  give  as  much  as  the  hene  require,  so  as  to 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  105 

compel  them  to  work  during  the  day.  If  it  is  desired  to  give  them  «  noon 
meal  let  it  be  grass,  which  is  better  lor  them  than  any  kind  of  concentrated 
food.  At  night,  whole  wheat  or  oats  should  be  given.  By  combining  the 
food  as  directed  it  will  furnish  the  hens  with  all  they  require,  as  the  com- 
pound contains  the  elements  desired  for  egg  production.  If  the  hens  are 
to  be  fatted  for  market  give  corn  and  corn  meal  plentifully,  and  feed  four 
times  a  day.  Be  careful  not  to  keep  the  laying  hens  in  the  same  yards  with 
those  which  are  intended  to  be  sent  to  market. 

Heat  as  a  Source  of  Growth—Take  two  broods  of  chicks  and  allow 
one  to  run  with  the  hen  wherever  she  chooses  to  lead  them,  and  keep  the 
other  brood  in  a  warm,  dry  place.  The  chicks  that  have  plenty  of  warmth 
will  grow  much  faster  than  the  others,  although  both  broods  may  be  fed  at 
the  same  period  and  on  the  same  kind  of  food.  Chicks  love  warmth.  Even 
during  the  middle  of  a  warm  July  day  the  chicks  will  nestle  under  the  hen 
and  seek  her  hover.  If  the  weather  is  damp,  though  warm,  the  chicks  will 
stay  under  the  hen  as  much  as  possible,  but  if  they  have  a  dry  place,  which 
is  warm  and  comfortable,  they  will  eat  more  and  grow  faster.  Heat  can  be 
provided  cheaply,  and  represents  so  much  food.  The  warmer  the  chicks 
are  kept  the  less  lood  will  be  required  for  the  creation  of  animal  heat,  con- 
sequently the  greater  the  heat  provided  (consistent  with  comfort)  the  faster 
the  chicks  will  grow,  as  the  larger  portion  of  the  food  will  be  converted  into 
bone  and  flesh  instead  of  a  loss  being  sustained  in  directing  so  much  of  it 
to  the  purpose  of  warming  the  body.  This  accounts  for  the  more  rapid 
increase  of  incubator  chicks  as  compared  with  those  brooded  by  hens. 
The  incubator  chicks  are  always  in  a  dry,  warm  placev  and  they  grow  fast, 
as  well  as  being  free  from  colds  and  diseases. 

Amount  of  Food  Required  Daily— In  an  experiment  in  England  for 
the  purpose  of  determining  the  daily  amount  of  food  consumed  by  different 
breed^of  fowls,  the  following  was  the  result: 

Dorkings 6  ounces  391  grains. 

Games 4  "  275  " 

Buff  Cochins 17  "  296  " 

Langshans 7  "  31  " 

Dominicks 4  "  336  " 

Brown  Leghorns 4  "  398  " 

Hamburghs 4  "  120  " 

Polish 4  "  28  " 

GuineaFowls 4  "  182  " 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Buff  Cochins  eat  much  more  than  any  of  the 
other  breeds,  and  to  show  the  increase  of  weight  in  proportion  to  food  con- 
sumed it  may  be  stated  that  each  gained  daily  as  follows  for  twenty  days: 

Dorkings 138  grains  and  laid  130  eggs  per  year. 

Games 92      ,£  "  100       "         " 

Buff  Cochins 77      "  "  115 

Langshans 123      "  "         115       " 

Dominicks 92      *  "  110       " 

Brown  Leghorns 107      "  "  190       '*         " 

Hamburghs  92      "  "  239 

Polish 46     "  "  98 

Guineas —  75       "         " 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Hamburgs  gave  the  largest  number  of  eggs 
and  the  Brown  Leghorns  next*  but  the  Dorkings  and  Langwhans  made  the 


J06  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  ROOK. 

largest  daily  gain  in  growth,  while  the  Cochins,  though  consuming  enoft 
mously  of  food,  did  not  show  its  effects  either  in  eggs  or  the  first  twenty 
days'  growth.  Taking  the  three  highest  for  weight  at  six  months,  the  fol« 
lowing  was  the  result: 

Dorkings  weighed  10  pounds,  1  ounce,  and  685  grains. 

Buff  Cochins  weighed  9  pounds,  13>£  ounces. 

Langshans  weighed  10  pounds,  5  ounces,  and  437  grains. 

The  greatest  gain  was  made  by  the  Langshans,  but  for  the  food  allowed 
the  Dorkings  are  entitled  to  the  honor.  We  give  the  above  as  the  .result  of 
experiments  in  England.  In  this  country  the  conditions  would  be  reversed 
perhaps.  Hamburghs  seldom  lay  as  many  as  239  eggs,  but  in  England  the 
climate  seems  best  adapted  to  both  Dorkings  and  Hamburghs.  In  estimating 
the  result  the  kind  of  food  should  be  considered,  which  was  not  given.  We 
use  corn  largely  in  this  country,  and  hence  experiments  here  would  be 
conducted  differently.  Chicks  when  hatched  usually  weigh  about  one  and 
one-half  ounces,  those  from  the  large  breeds  having  an  advantage.  We 
hope  some  of  our  readers  will  conduct  similar  experiments. 

Vigor  in  Chickens—The  number  of  complaints  that  eggs  do  not  hatch 
are  legion,  and  every  season  witnesses  failures  from  many  different  causes. 
The  chief  difficulty  in  the  way  of  securing  strong,  healthy  chicks  is  usually 
lack  of  vigor  in  the  breeding  stock.  Although  each  year  the  chicks  show 
inherited  weakness,  yet  the  miserable  scrub  roosters  may  be  seen  on  every 
farm.  It  may  be  safely  claimed  that  there  are  some  who  do  not  care  any- 
thing about  the  kind  of  rooster  used,  and  yet  upon  the  characteristics  of 
the  male  depend  the  uniformity  and  excellence  of  the  chicks.  In-breeding 
is  so  generally  allowed  as  to  make  it  a  matter  of  surprise  that  eggs  hatch 
at  all.  It  is  comparatively  cheap  to  change  the  males  every  season.  We 
do  not  mean  that  such  changes  can  be  effected  by  simply  trading  eggs  with 
a  neighbor,  for  in  that  manner  but  little  new  blood  is  brought  into  the  flock, 
but  by  purchasing  eggs  or  males  from  a  good  strain  of  pure  breeds.  If 
eggs  are  purchased,  of  course  a  year's  time  will  elapse  before  the  breed 
so  introduced  can  be  made  serviceable,  but  it  is  a  cheap  mode  of  making  a 
beginning.  The  chicks  from  a  strong,  vigorous,  pure-bred  cock  will  be 
uniform  in  appearance.  They  will  be  nearly  all  alike,  and  the  eggs  from 
hens  running  with  such  a  cock  will  usually  hatch  well.  One-half  the  chicks 
that  die  in  the  shell  are  too  weak  to  work  their  way  out  before  they  perish, 
and  the  apparent  mystery  is  not  difficult  of  solution.  Get  strong,  vigorous 
cocks,  and  there  will  be  more  chicks  hatched. 

About  Poultry  Houses— If  you  need  a  new  poultry  house  think  about 
ft  in  season,  make  your  plans,  decide  what  you  need,  how  much  you  can 
afford  to  expend,  etc.  If  you  put  everything  off  to  the  last  minute,  the 
house  will  go  up  in  a  hurry,  i.  e.,  if  it  goes  up  at  all,  and  ten  chances  to  one 
that  it  will  not  be  what  you  want  at  all.  I  know  more  than  one  poultry 
keeper,  who  put  up  buildings  in  a  hurry,  were  not  satisfied  with  them,  and 
afterwards  spent  more  in  improvements  than  the  right  kind  of  building 
would  have  cost  in  the  first  place.  And  come  to  think  the  matter  over,  a 
good  deal  of  the  expense,  and  a  good  many  failures  in  this  poultry  busi- 
ness, come  because  people  blunder  ahead  before  they  know  what  they 
really  want.  I  don't  believe  in  taking  "  forever  and  a  day"  to  think  things 
over,  but  I  do  believe  in  looking  an  inch  ahead  before  you  jump  a  foot. 

'*  But  I  can't  afford  to  build  an  expensive  poultry  house,"  is  what  on* 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  107 

farmer  said  to  me  when  I  tried  to  convince  him  that  a  new  poultry  house 
would  add  to  his  fowls'  comfort,  increase  his  profits,  and  improve  the  looks 
of  his  place;  and  I  dare  say  that  is  what  a  good  many  who  read  this  will 
say.  Well,  who  asks  you  to  huild  an  expensive  poultry  house  "  with  all 
the  modern  improvements  ?  "  I  don't.  Build  a  comfortable  house;  you 
can  afford  that.  Secure  comfort  first,  and  let  the  improvements  for  looks 
come  in  later  whenever  you  can  afford  it.  I  believe  "  vain  pride  "  stands 
in  the  way  of  a  good  many— keeps  them  from  putting  up  such  a  fowl  house  as 
they  can  afford.  A  neighbor  has  a  nice  house  for  his  poultry,  and  others 
von't  build  until  they  can  put  up  one  just  as  good  or  a  little  better.  Out^ 
wardly  they  make  fun  of  the  neighbor's  "  fancy  chicken  house,"  but  inside 
they  keep  on  thinking  that  just  as  soon  as  they  can  afford  it,  they  will 
"  take  the  shine  off"  his  house.  But  a  good  many  more  won't  spend  any 
money  on  a  poultry  house,  because  they  honestly  believe  it  "won't  pay." 
To  all  such  I  say:  Put  up  a  comfortable  home  of  some  kind,  take  care  of 
your  poultry,  and  you  will  find  out  before  you  are  a  year  older  that  comfort 
for  poultry  pays. 

Build  a  Siied._But  if  you  havo  already  a  comfortable  poultry  house 
which  affords  ample  room  for  roosting  and  laying,  but  not  much  to  spare, 
it  will  pay  you  to  put  up  a  shed  adjoining,  so  that  the  fowls  can  have  some 
place  to  loaf  and  scratch  next  winter,  wben  they  cannot  roam  out  of  doors. 
I  don't  mean  an  open  shed,  but  one  that  is  tight  enough  to  keep  out  rain, 
snow,  and  the  "  coldest  of  the  cold."  After  you  get  it  up,  put  in  a  lot  of  dry 
earth  and  gravel,  and  on  top  of  that,  chaff  and  any  litter  of  that  kind  you 
can  get.  If  you  live  where  you  can  get  sand,  put  that  in  instead  of  the 
earth. 

Don't  Crowd—This  piece  of  advice  is  meant  particularly  for  those  who 
kept  a  flock  of  early  pullets  last  winter  and  made[them  pay  a  good  profit.  They 
now  have  the  "  hen  fever  "  (i:  e.,  the  people  who  kept  the  pullets  have  it), 
and  they  will  figure  thus:  Last  winter  I  kept  30  pullets,  and  they  paid  me 
clear  profit  of  a  dollar  a  head;  this  winter  I  will  keep  a  hundred,  and  make 
a  hundred  dollars.  That's  all  right;  keep  a  hundred  pullets,  and  make  a 
hundred  dollars;  but  for  mercy's  sake,  don't  try  to  keep  a  hundred,  or  even 
fifty,  in  the  room  where  you  only  kept  thirty  before.  If  you  crowd  that 
way,  the  chances  are  that  you  will  make  a  hundred  dollars  out  of  pocket. 
There  is  too  much  of  that  kind  of  poultry  keeping,  and  it  is  the  kind  that 
don't  pay.  If  you  have  only  room  for  30  fowls,  don't  try  to  keep  more  than 
that  number  until  you  can  provide  more  room.  Keeping  two  fowls  in  the 
space  that  should  be  occupied  by  one  has  never  yet  paid,  and  it  never  will. 
When  the  people  who  have  the  1,000-hen  fever  get  that  idea  well  into  their 
heads,  thev  will  either  give  up  the  keeping  1,000  hens,  or  else  provide  room 
for  1,000. 

Look  Out  for  Cholera._The  latter  part  of  August  and  fore  part  of 
September  is  the  time  when  cholera  "  breaks  out  "  in  places  where  it  can 
obtain  a  foot  hold;  but  it  won't  break  out  if  it  can't  get  in;  and  it  can't  get 
in  if  you  keep  it  out;  and  you  can  keep  it  out  by  taking  proper  sanitary 
precautions.  I  know  poultry  raisers  who  have  kept  fowls  for  years  without 
even  having  a  single  case  of  cholera  on  their  premises,  while  their  neigh- 
bors' fowls  died  off  like  sixty  or  seventy.  And  the  lucky  ones  did  not 
"keep  their  fowls  well  "  by  dosing  with  "cholera  pills"  and  "powders;" 
they  saved  them  by  simply  taking  care  of  them.    Strict  cleanliness  about 


.08  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

the  houses,  yards,  coops,  will  do  more  towards  keeping  the  cholera  away 
than  all  the  cholera  medicine  ever  invented.  Nine-tenths  of  the  "  sure 
cures  "  advertised  to  cure  and  prevent  cholera  are  worthless,  or  nearly  so; 
and  yet  some  of  them  do  good,  because  in  the  accompanying  "  directions  " 
there  is  good  advice  about  cleaning  and  disinfecting,  and  the  people  who 
buy  the  remedies  follow  the  directions  because  they  have  paid  for  them. 

The  Turlceys— If  you  have  turkeys  that  you  intend  for  the  Thanks- 
giving market,  be  sure  that  you  keep  them  growing  right  along;  if  they  do 
not  come  home  every  night  with  full  crops,  fill  said  crops  up  with  grain  of 
some  kind.  You  can't  half  starve  a  turkey  from  the  time  it  is  weaned  until 
a  few  weeks  before  market  time,  and  then  by  extra  feed  make  an  extra  bird 
of  it.  Not  much.  The  very  best  way,  in  fact  the  only  way,  to  grow  first- 
class  market  turkeys  is  to  keep  them  growing  all  the  time. 

Get  Them  Out. — We  mean  the  half  or  two-thirds  grown  chickens  that 
have  been  huddling  in  the  nursery  coops.  If  you  have  any  shed  or  large 
coop  that  will  accommodate  them,  teach  them  to  roost  in  it;  but  if  you 
have  no  such  place  and  cannot  or  will  not  make  one,  better  let  the  chickens 
roost  in  the  trees  or  on  the  fence,  instead  of  crowding  into  coops  that  are 
much  too  small.  If  you  have  any  idea  such  coops  are  comfortable  places 
when  the  chickens  are  huddled  in  them,  just  go  out  and  observe  with 
your  own  eyes  and  nose.  You  have  probably  read  a  lot  of  nonsense  about 
the  danger  of  crooked  breast  bones  and  wry  tails  if  the  chickens  are  al- 
lowed to  roost  much  before  they  are  full-grown,  and  think  you  are  doing 
the  correct  thing  by  keeping  yours  on  the  ground;  but  you  are  wide  of 
the  mark.  If  the  perches  are  of  the  proper  width— wide  enough  for  the 
chicks  to  sit  on,  and  far  enough  from  the  side  of  the  coop  or  house,  there  is 
not  the  least  danger  of  deformity,  at  least  no  more  than  when  the  chickens 
are  allowed  to  crowd  together  on  the  ground  in  a  coop.  I  have  tried  both 
ways,  and  know  whereof  I  speak.  And  after  you  have  taken  the  chicks 
from  the  coop,  clean  up  where  the  coop  stood.  I  am  moved  to  give  this 
piece  of  advice,  because  so  many  farmers  leave  their  chicken  coops  just 
where  they  happen  to  be,  uncleaned,  until  the  next  season,  and  in  damp 
days  and  about  dusk  in  "  dog  days,"  the  stench  from  those  coops  is 
almost  unbearable.  Often  the  farmer  wonders  "  where  such  a  smell 
comes  from,"  but  never  once  thinks  of  the  accumulations  in  the  aban- 
doned chicken  coops.  Let  me  tell  you,  if  you  keep  fowls  and  do  it  well, 
you  must  always  keep  your  eyes  open  and  do  things  in  season.  Neglect 
causes  a  big  share  of  the  trouble,  disappointment  and  loss  that  occur  in 
poultry  keeping. 

New  Breeds. — The  "  woods  are  full  of"  new  breeds,  which  their  ad- 
mirers are  booming  with  all  the  might  of  printer's  ink.  We  have  the 
White  Plymouth  Bocks,  the  White  Wyandottes,  Dingos,  the  Motley  Bells, 
the  Pea  Comb  Plymouth  Bocks,  and  perhaps  some  others  that  are  not 
yet  named;  and  if  we  believe  all  that  is  claimed  for  them,  each  one  pos- 
sesses more  good  qualities  than  any  other  breed  of  fowls  on  earth.  Biit 
farmers  who  have  no  money  to  experiment  with,  had  better  go  slow;  if 
you  have  fowls  of  well  established  breed,  those  that  give  good  returns 
for  the  food  and  care  bestowed,  don't  trade  them  off  until  you  know 
you  are  going  to  get  something  better.  Sometimes  it  pays  to  "  make  haste 
slowly." 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  109 

Feed  Them  Out._W«  mean  the  small  potatoes  and  any  other  vegeta- 
bles that  you  can  neither  use  tor  your  own  table  nor  sell.  Boiled  and 
mixed  with  bran,  they  make  an  excellent  and  cheap  morning  feed  for  all 
kinds  of  poultry.  When  prepared  for  fowls  that  are  confined  to  yards  add 
some  ground  meat.  A  great  many  of  the  early  sweet  apples  that  would 
otherwise  rot  on  the  ground,  could  be  profitably  fed  to  poultry.  The  fact 
that  they  may  be  wormy  won't  make  any  difference  to  the  fowls,  but  if  you 
get  these  wormy  apples  off  the  ground  and  use  them  for  chicken  feed  and 
bog  feed,  it  will  make  a  difference  to  you  in  more  ways  than  one. 

Feather  Eating—Feather  eating  is  one  of  the  most  disgusting  things 
with  which  the  poultry  breeder  has  to  contend  with,  and  one  which  is  the 
most  difficult  to  cure.  Fowls  which  have  free  range,  not  being  restricted 
in  exercise  room,  seldom,  if  ever,  contract  this  bad  habit,  and  it  is  princi- 
pally those  which  are  kept  in  small  enclosures  which  find  employment  for 
their  lazy  hours  in  plucking  the  feathers  from  their  own  and  other  birds' 
bodies. 

We,  this  spring,  had  a  fine  flock  of  Plymouth  flocks  which  conceived  an 
unhealthy  taste  for  feathers,  nearly  denuding  their  bodies,  and  giving  them 
a  very  shabby  and  woe-begone  appearance.  We  tried  to  cure  it  by  giving 
them  plenty  of  green  food  and  an  abundance  of  fresh  gravel,  in  which  we 
raked  in  oats  and  wheat,  to  scratch  over;  this  only  partially  remedied  the 
evil,  some  of  the  birds  still  persisting  in  their  evil  ways  despite  all  our  care. 
As  a  last  resort,  we  removed  them  to  the  farm,  where  they  had  all  the  room 
they  wanted,  with  an  abundance  of  nice,  fresh  grass  and  plenty  of  shade, 
and  now  they  do  not  show  a  trace  of  their  former  bad  conduct. 

Nothing  like  liberty,  and  fowls  like  it  as  well  as  their  masters.  To  con- 
finement is  due  many  of  the  troublesome  and  dangerous  diseases  and  dis- 
orders to  which  fowl  flesh  is  heir  to,  and  of  which  we  all  were  in  ignorance 
until  it  became  necessary  to  so  confine  them  to  breed  several  kinds  pure 
on  the  same  place. 

Quinine  for  Chiclcen  Cholera. — f  have  found  by  experiment,  writes  a 
lady  of  Oswego  County,  New  York,  that  quinine  is  a  good  remedy  for 
chicken  cholera.  The  sick  fowls  have  fever,  looseness  of  the  bowels  and 
droop  and  die  in  about  three  days.  Flatten  a  small  piece  of  dough,  lay 
quinine  upon  it,  in  quantity  about  the  size  of  a  kernel  of  corn,  and  fold  the 
dough  over  it  into  a  pill.  As  soon  as  the  fowl  is  seen  to  droop  and  refuse  to 
eat,  separate  from  the  flock,  put  in  a  cool  place,  and  give  the  pill.  Give 
one  every  day  for  three  days.  If  very  bad,  two  may  given  in  a  day,  one 
in  the  morning  and  another  in  the  evening.  They  will  get  well  in  three 
days,  sometimes  in  one.  When  they  begin  to  eat,  give  bread  and  milk  or 
water.    This  is  a  sure  remedy  if  given  in  time,  and  entirely  harmless. 

Different  Breeds  of  Turkeys. — There  are  six  breeds  of  turkeys: 
Bronze,  Narragansetts,  Black,  Buff,  Slate  and  White.  There  maybe  others 
possessing  local  names,  but  the  above  only  are  recognized  as  pure,  distinct 
breeds.  The  Buff,  Slate,  Black  and  White  derive  their  names  from  the 
color  of  their  plumage.  The  Bronze  and  Narragansett  are  nearly  of  the 
same  size  and  somewhat  alike,  the  former  being  a  dark  bronze  in  color, 
with  penciled  feathers  of  light  brown  in  the  tail,  while  the  color  of  the  Nar- 
ragansett is  a  lich,  metallic  black,  with  brown  penciled  bars  also  on  the 
tail.  So  far  as  the  merits  of  the  different  breeds  are  claimed,  the  Narra- 
gansett and  Bronze  are  classed  as  the  largest,  and  the  White  Holland  as 


UO  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

the  beat  for  laying.  An  excellent  mode  of  grading  up  a  common  flock  is  ts 
begin  with  a  White  Holland  gobbler,  mating  the  hens  from  the  cross  with  a 
Bronze,  following  with  a  Narragansett,  and  then  alternating  each  succeed- 
ing year  with  the  Bronze  and  Narragansett.  By  so  doing  the  young  stock 
will  be  stronger  and  more  vigorous,  in-breeding  will  be  avoided,  and  a 
larger  number  of  young  turkeys  be  raised,  as  many  of  the  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  raising  young  turkeys  may  be  traced  to  in-breeding. 

Breeds  of  Fowls— Andalusians. — Black  Cochin,  Buff  Cochin.  Par- 
tridge Cochin,  Pea-comb  Partridge  Cochin,  White  Cochin,  Dark  Brahma, 
Light  Brahma. 

Crevecoeurs. — American  Dominique,  White  Dorking,  Colored  Dorking, 
Silver  Gray  Dorking. 

Frizzled.—  Black  Game,  Black-breasted  Red  Game,  Brown-breasted  Red 
Game,  Red  Pyle  Game,  Silver  Duskwing  Game,  White  Game,  Yellow  Dusk- 
wing  Game,  Sumatra  Black  Game,  Black  Hamburgh,  Golden-penciled 
Hamburgh,  Golden-spangled  Hamburgh,  Silver-penciled  Hamburgh,  Sil- 
ver-spangled Hamburgh,  White  Hamburgh. 

Houdans. — Black  Java,  Mottled  Java,  La  Fleche,  Langshan,  Black  Leg- 
horn, Rose-comb  Black  Leghorn,  Brown  Leghorn,  Rose-comb  Brown  Leg- 
horn, Dominique  Leghorn,  Rose-comb  Dominique  Leghorn,  White  Leg- 
horn, Rose-comb  White  Leghorn,  Black-breasted  Red  Malay,  Plymouth 
Rock,  Bearded  Golden  Polish,  Bearded  White  Polish,  Bearded  Silver 
Polish,  Buff-laced  Polish,  Golden-laced  Polish,  Silver-laced  Polish,  White- 
laced  Polish,  White-crested  Black  Polish,  Rumpless  Russian,  Silky,  White- 
faced  Black  Spanish,  Sultan,  Wyandotte. 

Bantams. — White-booted,  Black  Game,  Black-breasted  Red  Game,  Red- 
breasted  Game,  Red  Pyle  Game,  Silver  Duskwing  Game,  White  Game,  Yel- 
low Duskwing  Game,  Black  Sumatra  Game,  Golden  Delight,  Japanese, 
Pekin  or  Cochin,  Rose-comb  Black,  Rose-comb  White,  Silver  Sebright, 
White-crested  Winged  Polish. 

Pigeons. — Few  are  aware  that  pigeons  can  be  kept  at  a  large  profit. 
One  has  only  to  note  the  quotations  of  30  to  75  cents  a  pair,  or  dine  at  a  first- 
class  restaurant  and  pay  75  cents  for  a  squab,  or  note  the  item  of  900  dozen 
squabs  consumed  in  90  days  at  a  first-class  hotel,  to  be  convinced  that  the 
common  Rock  pigeon  is  by  no  means  to  be  despised. 

Mr. informs  me  that  his  squabs  averaged  22K  cents  each,  and  he 

keep  several  hundred  old  birds.  He  keep  them  housed  during  seeding 
time;  then  they  fly  at  will  and  gather  a  large  share  of  their  living,  he  feed- 
ing them  at  four  o'clock  or  thereabouts.  The  males  sit  during  the  afternoon 
to  liberate  the  females.  By  feeding  them  at  four  o'clock  the  females  are 
sure  of  a  full  crop  to  sustain  them  during  their  long  vigil  of  incubation.  We 
believe  that  500  pigeons  would  pay  a  man  well  for  his  year's  work  in  caring 
for  them. 

Some  of  the  fancy  pigeons  are  very  large.  Of  the  Runt  breed,  Dr.  Cook 
showed  a  pair  at  New  York  that  stood  twenty  inches  high  and  measured 
eight  inches  across  the  backs. 

It  Cannot  be  Overdone. — It  is  a  hard  matter  be  correctly  estimate  the 
amoumt  of  poultry  in  the  United  States,  or  the  average  annual  consump- 
tion of  eggs  and  chickens.  Some  years  low  prices  prevail,  but  the  period 
of  low  prices  is  gradually  getting  shorter  each  year,  and  higher  prices  are 
reached  in  winter  now  than  were  in  former  years,  which  shows  that  the 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  \\\ 

price  of  poultry  products  is  steadily  tending  upwards,  and  there  is  abso- 
lutely no  danger  of  baying  the  business  overdone.  It  is  a  product  that 
cannot  be  "  cornered."  Farmers  in  general,  and  nearly  everybody  that  has 
room  in  their  yards,  have  a  flock  of  chickens.  Farmers  are  increasing 
their  stock  and  are  beginning  to  realize  that  there  is  considerable  profit  in 
poultry,  when  properly  managed.  They  are  also  adding  to  their  con- 
veniences for  keeping  fowls,  since  they  have  discovered  that  there  are 
much  greater  returns  for  the  money  invested  in  them  than  in  any  other 
kind-of  farm  stock.  Good,  fat,  well-rounded  chickens,  ducks,  turkeys  and 
geese  will  always  find  ready  buyers.  The  market  cannot  be  overloaded 
and  prices  run  down  to  any  great  extent,  for  as  soon  as  prices  begin  to  de- 
cline, the  people  will  buy  and  eat  more  chickens,  and  the  prices  will  quickly 
go  up  again;  and  even  it  there  is  too  much  poultry  marketed  in  one  place, 
it  can  easily  be  sent  to  other  places  and  larger  markets. 

The  Grateful  Duck — While  at  work  in  the  garden,  I  heard  quite  a 
quacking  of  ducks  and  splashing  of  water,  so  much  so  that  I  concluded  to 
investigate.  I  found  a  mother  duck  with  a  brood  of  four  or  five  on  the 
water,  while  above  were  two  large  hawks,  endeavoring  to  make  their  dinner 
off  the  brood.  The  mother  duck  would  gather  the  little  ones  under  the 
thickest  underbrush  and  make  fight  as  best  she  could,  flapping  her  wings 
and  quacking,  or  rather  squealing,  while  the  hawks  above  seemed  wholly 
bent  on  their  prey.  You  should  have  seen  the  apparent  gratitude  shown 
by  the  mother  when  I  shot  and  killed  one  of  the  hawks,  scaring  the  other 
away.  The  firing  of  my  gun  did  not  alarm  her  at  all,  for  she  swam  off 
quacking  lowly,  as  though  commending  me  for  my  timely  aid. 

"When  to  Begin  With.  Incubators—The  best  month  for  beginning 
with  incubators  is  November,  so  as  to  have  the  first  lot  hatched  by  the  lat- 
ter part  of  that  month.  The  chicks  will  then  weigh  about  a  pound  and  a 
half  by  the  first  week  in  January,  when  the  upward  turn  in  prices  will  be- 
gin. Just  what  the  prices  may  be  cannot  be  anticipated,  but  they  depend 
upon  the  quality.  The  chicks  should  be  sent  to  the  market  dressed.  The 
cold  weather  will  be  too  severe  for  the  shipment  of  such  young  stock,  as 
some  of  them  may  die  on  the  route.  There  will  probably,  at  that  season,  be 
a  difference  of  ten  cents  a  pound  in  favor  of  dressed  chicks,  which  will 
more  than  pay  for  the  cost  of  dressing  them.  As  there  will  be  no  danger 
of  decay  in  winter,  they  will  keep  for  any  length  of  time,  and  the  commis- 
sion merchants'  charges  will  be  lessened. 

The  object  in  hatching  early  is  to  not  only  have  the  chicks  of  a  proper 
size  to  be  sold  as  soon  as  the  demand  begins,  but  also  to  make  up  for  any 
deficiency  in  growth,  as  one-pound  chicks  are  usually  in  demand  when  the 
broilers  (or  spring  chickens)  first  come  in.  Another  point  is  that  the  work 
is  usually  done  in  wiuter,  and  will  not  interfere  with  other  operations, 
which  in  one  respect  really  lessens  the  cost,  as  many  persons  are  often  idle 
during  that  time.  What  is  it  that  causes  the  prices  for  chicks  to  be  so  high  ? 
It  is  the  care  and  work  required  to  hatch  and  raise  them,  and  so  you  must 
consider  that  this  attention,  which  the  consumers  are  willing  to  pay  for,  must 
be  bestowed.  It  does  not  cost  over  five  cents  per  pound  of  meat  in  the  shape 
of  broilers,  and  yet  the  prices  often  reach  fifty  cents  per  pound,  or  ten 
times  the  cost,  but  this  extra  sum  is  what  the  producer  obtains  for  his 
labor. 

Another  reason  for  beginning  in  November  ia  that  should  a  failure  occuf 


112  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

it  will  not  be  too  late  to  still  get  the  high  prices,  as  they  reach  into  April 
and  May,  and  beginners  have  an  opportunity  to  experiment  and  correct  all 
mistakes. 

Capons  for  Market. — Capons  are  salable  the  entire  year,  but  there  are 
seasons  when  they  are  more  in  demand  than  at  other  times.  They  come 
into  market  early,  along  with  broilers,  and  the  prices  range  from  25  cents 
to  50  cents  per  pound,  according  to  quality.  Now,  the  quality  is  the  main 
point,  and  the  breeder  should  endeavor  to  keep  special  breeds  for  capons. 
In  the  first  place  the  capon  should  be  as  large  as  possible,  the  larger  the 
better,  and  the  Asiatics  should  be  used  in  order  to  impart  size.  Crosses 
are  excellent,  one  of  the  best  being  Dorkings  crossed  on  Brahmas  or 
Cochins.  Plenty  of  time  should  be  given  a  capon  to  grow,  and  the  chick 
should  be  hatched  early,  so  as  to  have  the  capon  a  year  old  when  it  reaches 
the  market.  Therefore  the  one  who  understands  using  an  incubator  will 
have  an  advantage  in  that  respect.  If  you  have  only  common  hens  or  small 
breeds,  begifiby  weeding  out  all  the  Leghorns,  Hamburghs,  Black  Spanish, 
and  other  small  crosses,  and  use  a  Brahma  cock  with  them.  This  will  give 
you  four  pounds  more  weight  than  you  would  have  with  common  chicks,  or 
rather,  those  mixed  with  small  breeds,  and  the  next  season  grade  up  with  a 
Dorking.  The  operation  is  not  easily  explained  in  a  short  article,  but  we 
Are  pleased  to  note  that  instruments  are  now  one-half  as  low  in  price  as 
formerly,  while  the  improvements  made  in  their  construction  enable  even  a 
"  green-horn  "  to  succeed,  the  horse-hair  being  now  done  away  with.  There 
is  as  much  difference  between  the  flesh  of  a  capon  and  that  of  a  cock,  rela- 
tively, as  between  that  of  a  boar  and  a  barrow.  Turkeys  may  also  be  capon- 
ized,  which  will  greatly  increase  their  size  and  price,  as  they  are  very  rare. 
The  operation  is  performed  when  the  cockerels  are  about  four  months  old, 
and  though  it  is  apparently  cruel  to  a  novice,  yet  the  birds  are  not  at  all 
affected  by  it,  and  begin  eating  as  soon  as  it  is  performed.  As  only  a  thin 
skin  is  cut  the  operation  is  quick  and  almost  painless,  being  much  less 
injurious  than  the  dubbing  of  game  fowls. 

Light  Brahmas. — The  light  Brahmas  have  been  bred  so  uniformly  that 
the  majority  of  persons  cannot  tell  a  pure-bred  one  from  a  crossed  bird. 
Every  bird  that  is  white  and  has  feathered  legs,  is  supposed  to  be  a  Light 
Brahma,  but  it  is  really  difficult  to  breed  them  fully  up  to  standard  require- 
ments. They  should  have  yellow  legs,  with  profuse  feathering  down  the 
sides  of  the  shanks,  extending  to  the  ends  of  the  outer  toes,  with  the  mid- 
dle toe  well  feathered  also,  but  not  the  inner  ones.  The  beak  is  yellow, 
with  a  "dark  stripe  down  the  upper  mandible,  and,  when  they  are  chicks, 
the  darker  this  stripe,  the  darker  will  be  the  hackle  and  tail.  In  the  cock 
the  hackle  should  be  white  on  the  upper  part,  the  remainder  having 
a  black  stripe  running  parallel  with  the  white,  the  black  being  in  the 
center  of  the  white  to  the  end.  The  hen's  hackle  is  not  so  lull,  and 
the  black  of  the  hackle  is  distinctly  separated  from  the  white  of  the  back. 
The  wings  are  small,  the  tail  black,  and  the  thighs  heavily  covered  with 
fluff.l 

The  Brahmas  have  pea  combs,  or  a  larger  comb  with  two  smaller  ones, 
the  whole  making  a  very  small  comb,  resembling  an  open  pod  filled  with 
peas.  The  cock  should  weigh  twelve  pounds  and  the  hen  ten.  The  cock- 
erels weigh  ten  pounds  and  the  pullets  eight.  The  breast  should  be  full, 
the  back  rather  flat.  and.  to  distinguish  it  in  shape  from  the  Cochins,  it 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  113 

should  not  be  too  compact.  They  lay  well,  as  their  small  combs  protect 
them  against  frosted  combs  in  the  winter,  while  their  heavy  feathering  ren? 
ders  them  hardy  and  well  adapted  to  cold  climates. 

The  Best  Layers. — It  is  not  an  easy  matter  to  know  which  of  your  hens 
are  the  best  layers.  We  admit  that  some  of  the  hens  will  lay  more  eggs 
than  others,  yet  to  find  out  which  are  the  more  profitable  the  record  cannot 
cease  with  a  few  hens.  Nor  is  the  greatest  profit  derived  from  the  hens 
that  lay  the  largest  number  of  eggs,  but  from  those  that  lay  the  greater 
number  when  prices  are  high.  There  is  more  profit  in  two  dozen  eggs  at 
thirty  cents  per  dozen  than  from  three  dozen  at  twenty  cents  a  dozen,, 
although  the  sum — sixty  cents — is  the  same  for  both  lots,  for  the  reason 
that  the  cost  of  two  dozen  is  less  than  for  the  three  dozen.  A  hen  may  lay 
well  from  April  to  July,  and  apparently  be  an  extraordinary  layer  because 
she  lays  an  egg  every  other  day,  but  after  awhile  she  may  do  but  very  little, 
and  another  hen,  that  does  not  seem  to  be  doing  her  duty,  slowly  reaches 
the  number  and  still  keeps  on  laying.  The  record  should  be  therefore 
kept  for  a  year,  and  an  average  for  each  month  made.  The  best  hens  for 
the  year  should  then  be  retained  as  breeders,  from  which  to  hatch  the  next 
season's  pullets,  and  they  should  be  mated  with  a  cockerel  of  a  good  laying 
family,  so  as  to  secure  better  progeny  than  the  parents.  The  prices,  num- 
ber of  eggs  laid,  number  of  chicks  hatched,  and  amount,  in  value,  produced 
by  each  hen,  should  be  noted,  so  as  to  be  assisted  in  the  selection  by  a 
knowledge  of  the  characteristics  of  each,  and  merit  will  be  the  guide. 

Soft-Shelled  Eggs— If  your  hens  lay  soft-shelled  eggs  it  is  an  indica- 
tion that  there  is  a  lack  of  lime  in  the  food.  They  should  have  ground 
shells  or  bone,  with  a  change  of  food.  But  th6  soft-shelled  eggs  do  not 
happen  because  the  hens  are  not  supplied  with  lime  always.  It  is  often 
due  to  the  hens  being  too  fat,  or  from  lack  of  exercise.  In  such  case  the 
food  should  be  reduced  to  grass  during  the  day  and  oats  at  night,  giving 
them,  however,  plenty  of  litter  of  some  kind  in  which  to  scratch.  It  is  the 
poor  condition  and  the  over-fat  condition  that  causes  many  of  the  difficul- 
ties with  poultry.  Whenever  you  get  a  soft-shelled,  misshapen,  or  double- 
yelked  egg,  or  the  eggs  do  not  seem  to  hatch,  you  may  conclude  that  your 
hens  are  too  fat. 

High  Ceilings  to  Poultry  Houses. — One  of  the  mistakes  made  with 
poultry  houses  is  that  of  having  high  ceilings,  under  the  supposition  that 
there  is  not  enough  ventilation.  Now  it  is  well  enough  in  summer  to  have 
a  high  ceiling,  but  the  cheapest  and  best  houses  are  those  that  are  very  low 
at  the  rear  and  open  to  the  sun  at  the  front.  Two  feet  at  the  rear  is  high 
enough  for  winter,  as  such  a  house  protects  against  draughts  and  frosted 
combs,  and  enables  the  fowls  to  keep  themselves  warm,  but  in  summer  it 
should  be  open  in  front,  facing  the  southeast.  In  winter  it  may  be  left  open 
during  the  day,  at  the  front,  and  closed  at  night. 

Short,  Stocky  Birds—The  way  to  get  short,  stocky  birds  is  to  hatch 
them  in  the  fall.  If  you  take  a  pair  of  birds  and  use  the  eggs  from  them 
in  the  spring  the  result  will  be  the  same  kind  as  the  parents,  but  if  the  eggs 
are  hatched  in  the  fall  the  chicks  will  grow  until  frost  sets  in.  When  spring 
opens  they  will  thicken  and  grow  chunky,  but  the  legs  will  be  no  longer 
than  they  were  when  they  stopped  growing  in  the  fall.  Try  the  experiment, 
and  it  will  surprise  you  to  note  so  great  &  difference  in  birds  hatched 


iU  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

in  the  spring  &nd  in  the  fall,  and  from  the  same  parents.  It  is  because 
the  longer  the  growing  Beason  the  better  the  opportunities  for  obtaining 
height. 

Ground  Corn  and  Oats—Whenever  ground  oats  can  be  procured 
without  the  corn  being  mixed  with  it  the  feed  will  be  better  than  when  the 
corn  is  in  excess.  Some  millers  add  more  corn  than  oats.  Such  lood  may 
answer  well  for  milch  cows,  but  not  for  chicks.  The  practice  is  to  grind 
the  corn  and  oats  together.  If  it  can  be  done,  always  procure  the  ground 
food  in  separate  bags  and  mix  the  materials  in  quantities  and  proportions 
to  suit  the  requirements,  as  fowls  should  not  all  be  fed  alike. 

Enemies  of  the  Barnyard. — There  is  greater  loss  every  season  from 
enemies  than  from  disease.  The  minks,  hawks,  owls,  dogs,  and  cats  play 
havoc  with  the  stock  at  a  time  when  the  farmer  is  not  aware  of  it.  The 
majority  of  farmers  will  agree  with  us  when  we  state  that  during  some 
seasons  they  feel  certain  they  have  hatched  several  hundred  chicks,  but 
when  the  chicks  are  ready  for  market,  only  one-half  of  them  can  be  found. 
The  farmer  cannot  tell  where  they  have  gone,  or  how  they  were  lost,  but  he 
knows  that  they  are  gone,  though  at  what  age  or  through  which  source 
always  remains  a  mystery.  The  enemies  work  secretly.  They  carry  off  the 
chicks  one  by  one,  and  the  loss  is  so  gradual  that  it  is  not  noticed. 

How  to  prevent  such  loss  is  not  easily  explained.  No  two  farms  are 
situated  alike,  and  the  shotgun  and  watchfulness  must  be  the  safeguard. 
The  greatest  depredator  is  the  family  cat.  She  will  often  allow  the  chicks 
to  roost  on  her  back  and  eat  with  them  from  the  same  dish,  for  she  knows 
ttiat  they  are  protected;  but  the  peaceable  and  fraternal  cat  becomes  a 
tigress  when  no  one  is  looking,  and  many  little  chicks  become  her  prey, 
while  at  the  same  time  she  professes  to  tenderly  care  for  them.  No  cat  can 
be  trusted.  .All  kinds  of  birds  are  the  natural  prey  of  cats.  A  cat  will 
devour  young  chicks,  no  matter  how  well  she  may  behave  herself  appar- 
ently. Rats  are  also  very  destructive,  a  single  rat  often  killing  every  chick 
hatched,  and  he  must  be  caught,  even  if  all  the  floors  are  to  be  torn  up,  or 
it  will  be  a  waste  of  time  to  attempt  raising  chicks.  Such  rats  are  too  sly 
for  cats,  traps,  or  poison.  They  must  be  hunted  down,  and  no  expense 
must  be  spared  until  they  are  destroyed.  Minks  can  be  kept  out  of  the 
poultry  house,  and  so  can  the  owls.  Dogs  usually  kill  chickens  when  they 
become  half  starved  and  are  ill-fed.  Foxes  no  longer  do  much  damage 
near  the  barnyard.  The  chief  enemies  are  the  hawk,  rat,  and  cat,  the  latter 
being  the  most  destructive. 

Clay  and  Sandy  Soils— Poultry  thrives  best  on  light  sandy  soils.  The 
reason  is  that  the  rains  carry  off  the  filth  by  leaching  it  down  below  the 
surface,  scattering  it,  and  lessening  its  effects.  On  heavy  clay  soils,  where 
the  surface  becomes  hard  in  dry  weather,  and  sticky  after  a  ram,  the  filth  is 
first  mingled  with  the  top  soil  during  the  rain  and  then  hardened  with  it  as 
soon  as  it  dries.  Being  in  the  soil,  and  near  th6  surface,  the  heat  from  the 
sun  causes  decomposition,  which  in  turn  invites  disease.  The  cholera  and 
gapes  are  the  result  of  the  accumulated  filth;  disease  arising  at  a  time  when 
least  expected.  Such  yards  cannot  be  kept  clean  unless  the  top  soil  is 
occasionally  removed,  or  turned  under  with  a  spade,  which  is  a  very  labor- 
ious undertaking  when  there  are  large  flocks  kept.  The  poorest,  lightest, 
white  sand,  which  has  only  a  sandy  subsoil,  is  the  best  for  fowls. 

There  ia  one  objection  to  light,  sandy  soils,  however,  which  is  the 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  115 

absence  of  grass.  Every  kind  of  soil  possesses  some  advantages  as  well  as 
disadvantages.  Clay  soils,  although  retentive  of  filth,  permit  of  the  growth 
of  plenty  of  grass,  but  a  grass  plot  is  quickly  destroyed  unless  there  are 
changeable  yards.  The  birds  being  kept  in  one  while  the  grass  is  growing 
in  the  other,  and  then  alternated  from  the  pastured  plot  to  the  one  in  grass, 
which  allows  the  turning  under  of  the  soil  and  reseeding  it. 

But  while  the  sandy  soils  may  not  be  adapted  to  grass,  yet  quite  an 
amount  of  green  food  can  be  grown  thereon,  such  as  oats,  rye,  young  mil- 
let, kale,  radish,  mustard,  etc.  Such  crops  come  quickly,  as  it  is  not 
necessary  that  they  be  matured.  If  only  a  few  inches  high  they  serve  the 
purpose  better  than  when  fully  ripe,  and  as  the  iowls  are  constantly  enrich* 
ing  the  soil  they  virtually  assist  in  growing  their  own  green  food,  while  the 
cultivation  of  the  soil  purifies  it  and  prevents  disease. 

Utilizing  Bulky  Refuse— A  large  amount  of  valuable  material  may 
be  utilized  if  cooked.  Pea-pods,  string-beans,  apples,  squashes,  and  many 
other  articles,  if  placed  in  a  pot  and  boiled  until  done,  will  furnish  a  quan- 
tity of  food  that  is  really  more  serviceable  than  too  much  grain.  Ducks 
and  geese  may  be  kept  at  but  little  expense  by  such  mode  of  feeding,  while 
turkeys  and  chickens  will  appreciate  the  change  at  once.  Turnips  and  car- 
rots, if  cooked  and  fed  to  all  kinds  of  fowls,  will  furnish  a  cheap  and  nutri- 
tious diet,  promoting  the  health  and  preventing  too  much  fat.  In  feeding 
such  material  no  grain  is  necessary  except  at  night,  when  whole  corn,  wheat 
and  oats  should  be  given.  One  of  the  most  valuable  foods  is  cooked  pota- 
toes and  sour  milk.  If  this  is  fed,  being  first  thickened  with  ground  oats, 
it  will  cause  the  hens  to  lay  more  eggs  than  when  an  exclusive  grain  diet 
is  given.  Fowls  should  have  plenty  of  bulky  food  if  they  are  to  be  made 
profitable. 

Breeding  for  Market. — While  it  is  admitted  that  the  markings  and 
plumage  of  a  bird  is  an  index  to  its  purity,  yet  we  often  see  the  sacrificing 
of  some  of  the  best  in  the  flock,  because  of  a  slight  defect  that  does  no  in- 
jury, but  which  serves  as  a  disqualification  in  the  show  room.  This  prac- 
tice has  been  very  damaging  to  the  value  of  the  breeds  for  utility,  as  the 
plumage  in  no  manner  affects  the  laying  qualities  or  adds  to  the  attractive- 
ness of  the  fowls  for  market.  And  yet,  without  a  strict  adherence  to  some 
definite  rule  by  which  the  breeders  of  thoroughbred  poultry  can  be  guided, 
our  flocks  would  degenerate  into  dunghills  and  their  characteristics  as 
breeds  be  entirely  lost.  But  there  is  a  limit  even  to  the  fixed  outward  in- 
dications, and  when  once  the  desirable  object  has  been  obtained  of  giving 
them  a  uniform  exterior  the  more  important  essentials  should  not  be  over- 
looked. Poultry  is  destined  to  serve  a  grander  purpose  than  that  of  being 
petted.  The  majority  of  those  interested  have  no  inclination  to  devote 
their  time  to  the  breeding  of  beautiful  birds  only,  but  prefer  to  realize  a 
profit  from  carcasses  and  eggs;  and  hence  any  attempt  to  sacrifice  vigor 
and  strength,  in  order  to  secure  a  straight  comb  or  a  certain  shade  of  color 
will  in  the  end  prove  detrimental.  This  is  proved  already  from  the  fact 
that  while  the  fancy  breeders  have  been  more  exacting  in  their  standard 
requirements  than  any  other  class,  yet,  they  have  not  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing a  flock  of  uniform  show  birds  from  the  best  of  their  prize-winners,  while 
the  Berkshire  swine-breeders,  who  give  but  few  points  to  color  marks,  have 
only  a  small  number  of  culls  in  their  herds. 

The  farmers  who  raise  poultry  for  market,  however,  owe  much  to  the 


116  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK 

breeders  of  fancy  poultry,  for  despite  all  mistakes  they  may  nav»  made, 
they  have  preserved  the  purity  of  the  breeds,  and  as  their  standard  is  only 
in  its  infancy,  the  time  will  come  when  all  the  breeds  will  combine  not  only 
the  characteristics  of  utility,  but  convey  also  the  outward  evidences  of  the 
puritv  of  the  stock. 

Select  those  that  come  up  to  the  standard  in  points,  if  you  can,  but  do 
not  discard  a  good  specimen  of  robust  constitution  for  a  slight  defect.  Be 
liberal  in  allowing'  a  few  fowls  to  have  drawbacks  if  such  imperfections 
are  such  as  to  cause  no  injury  to  the  offspriug,  but  above  all,  select  for 
vigor  and  strength.  It  is  not  always  the  largest  fowl  that  is  the  most  vigor- 
ous, but  the  one  with  full  bright  eyes,  heavy  boue,  compact  body,  and 
quick  movement.  In  plumage  see  that  the  color  of  the  hens  harmonizes 
with  the  color  of  the  cock.  If  the  hens  are  too  dark  allow  the  cock  to  be 
somewhat  lighter,  and  if  the  hens  are  very  heavy  in  the  body  use  a  medium- 
sized  cock.  Too  much  weight  is  not  desirable  in  fowls,  although  many 
boast  of  weight  in  preference  to  other  qualities.  The  chief  object,  no  matter 
which  breed  is  used,  should  be  vigor  and  activity.  An  overgrown,  exces- 
sively iat  fowl  is  a  nuisance,  and  should  uot  be  tolerated. 

Breeding  for  Eggs — To  keep  bene  for  laying  purposes,  where  eggs  for 
market  only  are  desired,  is  a  different  matter  from  keeping  hens  to  provide 
eggs  for  hatching  purposes.  It  may  safely  be  said  that  for  market  purposes, 
laying,  and  hatching,  the  conditions  vary.  It  is  a  well-known  principle  in 
breeding,  that  the  female  must  be  in  a  proper  condition  to  become  fruitful, 
and  this  rule  applies  to  the  hen  as  well  as  to  the  animal.  The  fat  Short- 
horn cows  are  often  barren,  while  those  that  produce  large  quantities  of 
milk  and  butter,  such  as  th*  Jerseys,  Holsteins,  and  Ayrshires,  usually 
bear  calves  every  year,  as  the  production  of  milk  prevents  overfatting.  In 
making  up  a  pen  for  breeding  purposes,  therefore,  the  poultryman  must 
consider  two  or  three  points  that  must  be  observed  in  order  to  secure  good 
hatches  when  the  eggs  are  incubated.  In  the  first  place,  the  eggs  from  pul- 
lets do  not  hatch  as  well  as  those  from  hens,  unless  the  pullets  are  early 
hatched.  This  difficulty  may  be  overcome  somewhat,  however,  by  mating 
two-year-old  cocks  with  them.  Again,  while  the  cockerels  may  be  used  in 
the  yards,  they  should  always  be  mated  with  hens,  and  not  pullets.  The 
conditions  to  be  observed  are  to  feed  a  sufficiency  of  all  that  tends  to  pro- 
vide the  constituent  elements  of  an  egg,  without  furnishing  a  superabund- 
ance. By  feeding  so  that  the  hens  must  scratch,  we  bring  them  under  the 
same  conditions  by  which  it  is  known  that  a  mare  kept  at  moderate  work 
will  pi'oduce  a  better  foal  than  the  one  kept  standing  m  the  stable,  and 
pampered.  It  is  true,  as  has  often  been  stated  by  those  who  sneer  at  im- 
proved breeds  of  poultry,  that  they  are  pampered  too  much,  and  especially 
is  this  true  of  breeding  hens,  as  eggs  from  such  do  not  hatch  well,  and 
when  they  do,  the  chicks  are  weak  and  sickly.  No  amount  of  lime  or  oyster 
shells  will  prevent  soft-shelled  eggs  from  hens  overfed,  while  disease  is 
liable  to  occur  among  them  at  any  time. 

We  often  read  of  hens  that  lay  200  eggs  a  year,  but  such  statements  do 
more  harm  than  good,  by  inducing  the  inexperienced  to  believe  such  to  be 
a  fact.  Anyone  who  is  familiar  at  all  with  poultry  knows  that  during  the 
tall  all  hens  undergo  the  process  of  moulting,  or  shedding  of  the  feathers. 
This  requires  usually,  about  three  months,  or  100  days.  As  there  are  only 
365  days  in  a  year,  we  have  265  day*  left  after  deducting  the  moulting 
period.    Ji  a  hen  lays  regularly,  an  egg  every  other  day,  she  will  lay  13$ 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  117 

eggs,  but  she  will  probably  lose  three  months  more  in  hatching  out  her 
broods,  and  even  if  she  is  a  non-sitter,  she  will  take  a  resting  spell.  As 
moulting  is  a  heavy  drain  on  the  system,  but  few  heno  lay  during  that  pro- 
cess, though  there  are  exceptions,  and  where  the  number  of  eggs  exceed 
one  every  two  days,  it  will  be  found  that  a  corresponding  reduction  occurs 
daring  some  period  of  the  year.  While  we  admit  that  certain  individual 
hens  have  been  known  to  lay  as  many  as  150,  or  even  175  eggs  in  a  year, 
such  cases  are  rare,  and  if  one  has  a  flock  of  twenty  hens  or  more,  he 
should  be  satisfied  if  there  is  an  average  of  100  eggs  a  year  for  the  whole 
flock,  or  rather  nine  dozen.  Four  dozen  out  of  the  nine  should  realize 
thirty  cents  per  dozen,  three  dozen  should  bring  about  twenty  cents  a 
dozen,  and  two  dozen  should  realize  fifteen  cents  per  dozen  in  this  section, 
or  an  average  of  about  twenty-three  cents.  Of  course  this  calculation  may 
be  wrong,  but  it  will  convey  an  idea  of  what  may  be  expected. 

Many  poultry  raisers  provide  their  fowls  with  warm  quarters,  and  feed 
regularly  and  on  a  variety,  but  yet  they  get  no  eggs.  Such  cases  are  nu- 
merous, and  we  will  endeavor  to  point  out  a  remedy  for  the  difficulty.  We 
well  know  that  if  we  keep  a  horse  in  a  stable,  and  feed  him  well,  that  he 
becomes  restless  and  unhappy,  and  in  order  to  keep  him  in  good  health  he 
must  be  exercised.  With  fowls,  the  winter  prevents  foraging,  and  our  kind 
readers  go  to  the  coops  in  the  morning  and  give  the  hens  a  good,  heavy 
feeding.  The  hens  being  full,  are  satisfied,  and  have  no  inducement  to 
ramble,  consequently,  do  not  take  any  exercise,  and  become  too  fat.  The 
better  plan  is  to  get  some  chaff,  cut  straw,  leaves,  cr  even  dirt,  and  place  it 
where  the  hens  can  scratch  in  it.  In  the  morning  give  the  hens  a  mess  of 
warm  food,  but  only  a  little.  Now  throw  some  grain  into  the  scratching 
heap,  and  make  them  work  for  the  balance  of  their  meal.  Feed  nothing 
but  what  they  will  have  to  work  for.  At  night  feed  them  all  they  will  eat. 
The  object  is  to  keep  the  hens  busy  during  the  day,  but  let  them  go  on  the 
roost  full.  Hens  that  are  compelled  to  work  will  lay  better,  and  keep  in 
good  health,  while  the  eggs  will  produce  stronger  chicks.  They  should  al- 
ways have  a  warm  mess  early  in  the  morning,  especially  in  the  winter,  but 
the  meal  should  be  so  given  as  to  leave  them  somewhat  hungry.  Do  not 
feed  them  at  noon,  except  by  putting  their  food  in  the  scratching  heap,  and 
never  give  soft  food  in  the  scratching  heap.  In  other  words,  keep  them 
scratching  for  oats,  wheat,  seeds,  and  even  for  ground  shells.  Give  no 
corn  except  at  night,  and  give  them  their  night's  meal  without  making  them 
scratch  for  it. 

Eggs  for  Hutching. — It  is  often  a  problem  with  some  why  they  at 
times  secure  good  hatches  from  a  portion  of  the  eggs  placed  under  hens, 
while  but  poor  results  are  obtained  from  other  sittings.  In  the  first  place, 
in  a  majority  of  cases,  the  trouble  is  with  the  eggs,  and  not  with  the  hens. 
For  hatching  purposes,  especially  in  the  winter,  the  eggs  must  be  collected 
as  soon  as  they  are  laid,  in  order  to  prevent  them  from  becoming  chilled, 
for  extreme  cold  is  fatal  to  the  germ.  No  monstrosities  in  eggs  should  be 
used,  such  as  those  large  enough  for  two  yelks,  or  that  are  pointed  at  both 
ends.  Ordinary,  smooth,  medium-sized,  well-shaped  eggs  should  be  se- 
lected, and  the  fresher  the  better.  The  nest  in  winter  should  be  made  in  a 
warm  location,  which  is  not  exposed  to  drafts,  nor  is  dampness  essential, 
though  a  moist  nest  is  better  for  the  summer.  Avoid  giving  the  hens  too 
many  eggs  to  cover.  Common  consent  has  adopted  thirteen  eggs  as  a  sit- 
ting, no  matter  whether  t>°  hen  is  large  cr  small,  but  it  is  more  economical  ia 


ifl8  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK. 

winter  to  place  only  ten  eggs  under  a  hen,  as  she  will  be  enabled  to  impart 
more  heat  to  a  smaller  than  to  a  larger  number,  as  a  full  nest  sometimes 
does  more  injury  than  one  but  partially  filled,  owiDg  to  the  larger  number 
of  eggs  that  become  exposed,  there  to  remain  until  they  in  turn  are  changed 
to  the  center  of  the  nest  by  the  hen.  In  extremely  cold  weather,  an  egg  so 
exposed  is  destroyed  by  the  low  temperature,  but  if  the  hen  succeeds  in 
covering  a  smaller  number,  she  will  save  the  difference  in  the  cost  of  the 
eggs  required,  and  also  hatch  more  and  stronger  chicks.  It  would  be  well 
if  the  eggs  were  tested  after  being  under  the  hen  a  week;  the  incubator 
operators  understand  this,  and  why  should  not  the  same  practice  be  fol- 
lowed with  sitting  hens?  It  is  a  very  easy  matter.  Make  an  egg-tester  by 
pasting  paper  boards  together,  or  by  using  thin  boards,  if  preferred.  A 
box  should  be  made  so  as  to  fit  over  a  lamp  globe;  say  a  square  box,  with  a 
round  hole  on  top  and  an  oval  hole  on  one  of  the  sides.  Place  the  box  over 
the  lamp,  allowing  the  chimney  to  pass  through  the  hole  on  top;  now  darken 
the  room,  using  no  light  but  that  "from  the  lamp;  hold  each  egg  to  the  oval 
hole  on  the  side,  and  look  through  the  egg  at  the  light.  If  the  eggs  are  a 
week  old  they  will  appear  dark,  should  they  contain  chicks,  the  upper  part, 
or  large  end,  appearing  clear;  this  clear  space  around  the  inside  of  the 
large  end  is  the  air-sack  Cor  air-bladder,  as  some  term  it).  Below  this  air- 
sack  the  contents  of  the  egg  will  appear  dark.  Should  the  egg  contain  no 
chick,  it  will  appear  cleai",  and  if  compared  with  fresh  eggs,  will  show  the 
same  appearance;  therefore  always  use  a  fresh  egg  for  comparison.  Put 
the  dark  eggs  back  in  the  nest,  and  keep  the  clear  ones,  cook  them  and 
keep  them  for  feeding  the  young  chicks. 

•  Feeding— The  frequent  admonition  to  feed  a  variety  of  food  is  not 
given  simply  to  gratify  the  desires  or  appetites  of  the  birds,  but  for  an- 
other purpose.  The  hen  is  used  by  us  as  a  producer,  and  as  she  cannot 
produce  anything  without  the  material  from  which  to  do  so,  she  is  useless 
unless  her  wants  are  supplied.  She  consumes  a  large  amount  of  carbon 
every  time  she  inhales  air,  while  the  bones,  flesh,  and  nervous  system  are 
constantly  being  wasted  and  repaired.  Should  this  waste  be  permitted, 
without  a  renewal,  the  bird  will  die— starve— although  she  may  be  fed 
liberally,  as  far  as  certain  kinds  of  food  are  concerned.  If  she  received 
nothing  but  corn,  she  would  become  very  fat,  as  corn  is  rich  in  carbon,  and 
her  body  would  be  kept  warm  from  the  heat  created;  but  while  fat  and  ap- 
parently in  good  condition,  her  bones  and  tissues  would  gradually  waste 
away,  and  she  would  droop  and  die  without  apparent  cause.  But  food  of  a 
carbonaceous  nature  is  required  also  in  some  form,  as  the  heat  of  the  body 
is  necessary,  while  carbon  is  an  important  constituent  of  the  yelk.  Corn 
contains  a  small  proportion  of  all  the  elements  of  food,  but  in  insufficient 
quantities  for  the  proper  nourishment  of  a  laying  hen.  We  may  divide  the 
food  proper  into  three  kinds— carbonaceous,  nitrogenous  and  phosphatic— 
The  minerals — lime,  soda,  potash,  etc.,  must  also  be  included. 

Some  of  the  grains,  such  as  wheat,  oats,  and  buckwheat,  furnish  quite 
an  amount  of  all  the  elements  needed,  lime  included,  but  as  such  foods  are 
not  perfectly  balanced  with  all  the  hen  requires,  they  serve  her  purposes 
for  only  a  short  time.  Hence,  when  a  chick  is  growing,  the  rapid  formation 
of  muscle  and  bone  (not  fat)  requires  food  rich  in  nitrogen,  which  is  best 
given  in  the  form  of  milk  or  meat,  and  it  is  the  absence  of  nitrogenous  food 
that  causes  them  to  die  when  they  are  fed  on  corn  meal.  The  egg  is  largely 
composed  of  nitrogen,  the  white  especially,  and  the  hena  that  are  fed  oc 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  113 

^eat  and  milk  as  a  part  of  their  diet,  will  lay  in  winter  if  kept  warm.  To 
vary  the  food  means  to  vary  the  quality  of  the  articles  provided,  in  order 
that  no  element  may  be  lacking,  and  while  it  is  important  that  the  food  be 
of  a  [varied  character,  in  order  to  provide  all  the  proper  materials  neces- 
sary, the  fowls  need  succulent  and  bulky  food  for  dietary  purposes.  Corn, 
wheat,  meat,  etc.,  are  concentrated  ioods,  and  should  be  accompanied  with 
grass,  or  any  kind  of  bulky  food,  in  order  to  assist  digestion,  as  well  as 
plenty  of  water,  just  as  a  horse  needs  hay,  although  he  may  be  allowed  all 
the  grain  he  desires.  In  feeding  a  variety,  however,  do  not  over-feed. 
Never  allow  the  stock  to  get  too  fat,  or  the  hens  will  lay  soft-shell  eggs  or 
none  at  all.  Fat  interferes  with  the  generative  functions.  Always  endeavor 
to  make  the  hens  exercise,  by  scratching  for  their  food.  If  they  are  made 
to  work,  and  are  fed  on  food  containing  the  necessary  elements,  they  will 
lay,  and  cannot  refrain  from  doing  so. 

Are  Incubators  Profitable! — This  depends  upon  the  management, 
location  of  the  farm,  and  facility  for  marketing  the  fowls  and  chicks.  Where 
an  incubator  is  operated  for  pleasure,  it  usually  ends  in  creating  disgust, 
but  if  used  as  a  source  of  profit,  it  may  be  made  to  pay.  The  objections  to 
incubators  are  that  they  may  sometimes  hatch  well  and  at  other  times  fail, 
but  we  can  safely  claim  that  if  an  incubator  once  makes  a  successful  hatch, 
it  allows  of  sufficient  belief  that  any  failure  thereafter  may  be  attributed  to 
the  operator  only.  If  it  can  be  made  to  give  good  results  at  one  time,  it 
should  do  so  every  time. 

An  incubator  fulfills  only  one  purpose— supplying  heat  to  the  eggs.  It 
cannot  hatch  an  infertile  egg,  nor  can  it  perform  its  work  successfully  unless 
the  conditions  necessary  for  hatching  are  observed.  The  majority  of  per- 
sons are  very  careless  in  regard  to  the  kind  of  eggs  used.  Even  well- 
formed  eggs,  if  from  hens  that  are  over-fed,  will  fail  to  hatch,  and,  as  the 
work  of  the  incubator  is  usually  performed  in  the  winter,  the  chances  for 
filling  it  with  eggs  most  suitable  for  the  purpose  are  lessened  in  comparison 
with  the  hatching  of  eggs  in  the  warm  season.  Even  with  all  these  disad- 
vantages incubators  are  profitable,  for  the  reason  that  the  prices  obtained 
for  chicks  hatched  early  in  the  season  more  than  compensate  for  the  diffi- 
culties. 

Take  a  300-egg  incubator,  for  instance,  and  allow  only  33  1-3  per  cent,  as 
a  hatch,  and  we  have  100  chicks.  Grant  that  one-half  of  them  will  be  lost 
through  various  causes,  and  we  reach  the  market  with  only  50  chicks.  If 
they  are  hatched  at  the  proper  time  they  will  bring  50  cents  each,  but  at  half 
that  figure  (and  allowing  for  feed),  we  derive  only  $10.  It  is  apparent  that  so 
low  a  sum  will  only  cover  the  cost  of  eggs  and  other  expenses;  but  raise  the 
estimates  and  allow  a  hatch  of  150  eggs,  with  a  loss  of  50  chicks,  and  we 
send  100  chicks  to  market,  which,  at  25  cents,  deducting  expenses,  gives  a 
clear  profit  of  $10,  or  the  interest  on  $166  2-3.  If,  however,  they  sell  at  51 
cents  each,  we  have  a  clear  profit  of  $35,  or  the  interest  on  nearly  $600. 
Hence,  the  profit  on  incubators  depends  more  upon  the  time  of  hatching 
and  marketing  the  chicks,  rather  than  upon  the  percentage  of  chicks 
secured,  a  fact  which  the  majority  of  persons  overlook. 

The  Poultry  Business  and  Monopoly—All  classes  of  stock  have  foi 
short  periods  been  monopolized,  and  even  at  the  present  day,  certain 
strains  or  families  of  horses,  cattle  and  sheep  are  held  at  such  figures  as  to 
be  beyond  the  reach  of  many.    But  this  cannot,  happen  with  poultry.    Venn* 


120  STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR. 

nately,  the  hen  is  capable  of  reproducing  a  hundred  like  herself  in  a 
single  season,  and  any  attempt  at  monopoly  would  fall  to  pieces  by  force  oi 
numbers.  It  is  the  only  business  at  which  the  toiling  laborer  can  engage 
as  a  pastime.  He  may  not  be  so  fortunate  in  securing  a  pure  article  of 
milk,  and  he  may  be  compelled  to  place  the  bogus  butter  on  his  bread,  but 
with  all  .the  obstacles  in  that  respect,  he  cannot  be  deprived  of  his  fresh 
eggs,  if  he  has  even  a  city  lot.  Eggs  may  fall  as  low  in  price  as  five  cents 
per  dozen,  or  they  may  reach  as  high  as  one  dollar,  but  they  will  not  fluctu- 
ate in  nutrition.  They  will  contain  as  much  nitrogen,  carbon  and  phos- 
phoric element  as  before,  and  will  be  in  a  condition  often  denied  the  most 
wealthy,  fresh.  Eggs  and  poultry  are  always  in  demand,  and  to  attempt 
to  supply  that  demand  is  within  the  reach  of  all.  Monopoly  in  the  poultry 
business  cannot  therefore  occur,  and  such  advantage  is  not  claimed  for  all 
other  enterprises. 

Operating  Incubators— We  perceive  quite  a  number  of  inquiries 
regarding  incubators',  and  a  few  words  in  reference  to  them  will  not  be  out 
of  place.  As  to  the  heat  required,  it  should  never  exceed  104  degrees,  as 
it  is  impossible  for  eggs  to  be  warmed  to  a  greater  degree  under  hens. 
When  under  hens,  it  is  well  known  that  the  hen  often  leaves  them  to  seek 
her  food,  the  time  during  which  the  eggs  are  exposed  varying  from  ten  to 
thirty  minutes.  This  fact  teaches  us  that  should  the  heat  in  the  incubator 
be  lost  to  such  an  extent  as  to  reduce  the  temperature  to  that  of  the  atmos- 
phere, for  a  short  time  only,  no  danger  will  occur.  It  is  even  believed  that 
this  cooling  process  is  essential  to  the  success  of  the  chicks  in  the  shells, 
but  it  is  certain  that  they  should  not  be  kept  cool  for  a  long  period.  The 
moisture  is  only  necessary  to  saturate  the  atmosphere  surrounding  the 
eggs,  as  water  enters  largely  into  their  composition. 

During  the  three  weeks  in  which  the  eggs  are  subjected  to  warmth,  it 
must  be  fully  up  to  103  degrees  on  an  average.  If  below  this,  the  chicks 
will  come  out  weak,  and  if  above  euch  limit,  they  will  become  deformed  or 
die  in  the  shell,  from  too  much  loss  of  moisture.  Turning  the  eggs  simply 
prevents  adherence  of  the  contents  to  the  shell,  though  it  also  equalizes 
the  distribution  of  the  heat.  Do  not  give  too  much  moisture.  This  may 
be  indicated  by  the  moisture  condensing  on  the  shells,  and  when  it  happens 
the  chicks  will  be  suffocated,  as  the  water  closes  the  pores  of  the  shells, 
To  give  the  rules  in  a  condensed  form,  we  will  state— 

1st.  Keep  the  temperature  as  near  103  degrees  as  possible, 

2d.  Turn  the  eggs  twice  a  day. 

3d.  Cool  them  well  once  daily. 

4th.  Place  wet  sponges  in  the  egg-drawer,  from  which  to  impart  moisture. 

5th.  Avoid  handling  the  eggs,  using  gloves  if  necessary. 

6th.  Allow  plenty  of  ventilation  in  the  room  where  the  Incubator  is 
operated. 

7th.  When  the  chicks  are  coming  out,  do  not  open  the  drawer,  as  cool 
air  is  then  injurious. 

8th.  Let  the  chicks  dry  well  before  removing  them  to  the  brooder. 

9th.  Select  eggs  only  from  strong,  healthy  stock,  rejecting  those  that  are 
Very  small,  extra  large,  misshapen,  or  otherwise  imperfect. 

10th.  Keep  strangers  aWay,  especially  if  they  wish  to  inspect  *ho  egg- 
drawer. 

11th.  Have  regular  hours  for  doing  all  the  work. 

13th.  Do  soft  bebevs  that  "  a  child  can  manage  It." 


STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK.  m 

The  rules  given  are  about  all  there  is  in  managing  an  incubator.  The 
success  depends  upon  their  observance  by  the  operator,  who  must  have 
more  faith  in  himself  than  in  the  machine. 

Stealing  Her  Nest—Why  does  the  hen  that  steals  her  nest  usually 
bring  out  full  broods  of  strong,  healthy  chicks  ?  Many  have  endeavored  to 
solve  the  problem,  but  comparison  may  probably  assist  us  to  a  certain 
extent.  In  the  first  place,  a  hen  that  lays  a  clutch  of  eggs  in  a  stolen  nest, 
is  usually  in  a  healthy  condition,  is  not  too  fat,  takes  plenty  of  exercise,  and 
her  nest  is  prepared  naturally  with  a  view  to  prevent  disturbance.  When 
we  place  eggs  under  hens,  we  know  nothing  of  them.  The  hens  from  which 
they  are  procured  may  be  excessively  fat,  and  we  handle  them  several 
times  before  placing  them  in  the  nest.  The  birds,  as  a  rule,  do  not  like  a 
disturbance  of  the  eggs,  especially  if  they  are  handled;  many  of  them 
leaving  and  abandoning  the  nests  and  eggs,  if  interfered  with.  But  we 
handle  eggs  freely,  expose  them  in  every  possible  manner  to  extremes  of 
heat  and  cold,  and  do  not  stop  to  consider  their  uniformity.  The  hen  steal- 
ing her  nest  has  a  clutch  of  eggs  uniform  in  every  respect,  as  they  are  laid 
by  her,  and,  consequently,  if  one  is  good  the  whole  should  be  equally  so. 
But  take  the  eggs  that  are  placed  under  hens  or  in  incubators,  and  they  are 
not  uniform,  some  being  large,  some  small,  others  dark  and  thick-shelled, 
while  quite  a  number  may  be  imperfect. 

The  hen  stealing  her  nest  has  every  advantage  in  the  quality  of  her 
eggs,  as  she  attends  especially  to  the  matter  oi  having  them  fertilized 
instinctively.  Her  chicks,  all  having  the  same  father  and  mother,  are 
equally  as  vigorous  and  strong.  But  find  her  nest,  take  away  from  the  hen 
the  eggs  that  she  has  laid,  and  put  others  in  place  of  them,  and  it  will 
prove  that  it  is  not  so  much  in  how,  where,  and  when  she  sits,  as  in  the 
vigor  of  the  chicks,  for  the  reason  that  we  stated — the  excellent  physical 
condition  of  the  hen-running  at  large,  and  laying  under  the  most  favorable 
conditions.  When  we  become  so  situated  in  our  poultry  enterprises  as  to 
be  able  to  collect  large  numbers  of  eggs  from  vigorous,  healthy  Btock,  there 
will  be  no  cause  to  point  to  the  truant  hen  as  an  example.  To  be  success- 
ful, we  must  begin  with  the  laying  hens,  for  when  they  ar6  in  condition,  the 
other  difficulties  will  be  very  easily  overcome. 

The  Common  Hen. — We  -wish  to  take  up  the  subject  of  common  hens 
in  order  to  oblige  a  large  number  who  often  make  inquiries  as  to  the  rela- 
tive merits  of  the  common  stock  and  pure  breeds.  In  the  first  place  it  is 
no  easy  matter  to  define  what  may  be  called  a  common  hen.  Sometimes 
common  hens  are  the  very  best  breed  of  any,  as  they  combine  the  good 
qualities  of  several  breeds.  The  Brahma  hen,  which  lays  so  well  in  winter, 
may  be  slow  in  growth  and  late  in  maturing,  and  when  bred  too  close, 
through /relationship,  may  fail  to  give  satisfaction.  The  breeder  of  such 
fowls  will  perhaps  turn  them  out  to  run  with  roosters  of  no  particular  blood, 
and  the  result  is  a  mongrel  half  Brahma  and  half  anything,  as  the  case 
may  be,  but  the  Brahma  blood  is  there,  and  tells  in  the  common  stock, 
which  receives  the  credit  for  excellence  that  belongs  to  the  Brahma  alone. 

One  of  the  best  illustrations  is  to  notice  the  influence  of  the  Houdan.  V 
this  breed  is  crossed  on  any  kind  of  hen  the  best  qualities  of  the  HoudaD 
seem  to  be  prominent,  and  the  crest  and  toes  (five)  will  crop  out  for  suc- 
cessive generations,  even  when  bred  away  from  the  floudan  for  five  or  si* 
years,  the  Houdan  blood  not  being  more  than  the  one-thirty-second  part 


122  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK 

and  yet  it  ia  to  the  dunghill  fowl  that  the  credit  for  egg  production  is  al» 
lowed,  while  the  honors  gained  by  the  top-knotted  hens  which  show  theit 
remote  origin  to  the  Houdan,  should  properly  be  ascribed  to  that  source. 
Again,  mix  a  flock  of  fowls  indiscriminately,  common  or  pure  breeds,  and 
allow  among  them  a  Langshan  cockerel,  and  every  black  hen  will  begin  to 
lay  early  for  the  large  kinds,  which  means  that  the  Langshan  blood  is  a 
great  improvement,  but  because  the  fowls  were  not  kept  as  poor  breeds 
they  will  be  classed  as  common  kinds,  and  made  evidences  in  favor  of  the 
claim  that  pure  breeds  may  be  good,  but  common  fowls  are  better. 

Crossing  fowls  imparts  new  life  and  greater  vigor  when  they  are  closely 
bred,  yet  crossed  fowls  are  not  necessarily  common,  but  they  are  so  styled, 
though  it  is  safe  to  say  that  there  is  not  a  flock  of  fowls  known  tbat  has  not 
been  improved  to  some  extent  by  our  pure  breeds,  which  have  ,been  so 
widely  disseminated.  Does  any  one  doubt  that  the  Leghorn,  which  is  one  of 
the  purest  of  breeds,  lays  better  than  any  other,  or  can  anyone  answer  why 
common  fowls  are  not  uniform  in  other  respects  as  well  as  laying  ?  Are  any 
two  common  fowls  exactly  alike  ?  They  should  be  if  they  possessed  fixed 
qualities,  but  the  fact  is  they  have  too  many  different  strains  of  blood  in 
them.  There  are  the  Brahma,  Leghorn,  Houdan,  Plymouth  Rock,  Ham- 
burgh, Langshan,  and  Cochin  crosses,  which  give  egg  production,  but  pre- 
vent uniformity  of  plumage. 

The  pure  bred  is  the  best  for  all  purposes,  and  until  the  common  flock 
is  seen  that  does  not  prove  the  excellence  of  the  pure  breeds,  it  will  not  do 
for  the  advocates  of  common  fowls  to  attempt  to  disparage  breeds  that  un- 
erringly stamp  good  qualities  on  every  flock  to  which  they  are  united. 

Geese— Geese  can  be  fatted  cheaply,  as  they  will  eagerly  consume 
chopped  turnips  or  any  other  kind  of  cheap  material  at  this  season,  but  to 
get  them  fat  they  should  have  corn  also.  A  goose  should  not  be  too  fat,  as 
such  are  objectionable,  but  they  should  be  fat  enough  to  present  an  excel- 
lent market  appearance.  The  young  geese  that  have  not  fully  completed 
their  growth,  cannot  be  fed  too  liberally,  as  they  will  not  become  extremely 
fat  until  matured.  They  do  not  bring  as  good  prices  as  turkeys,  but  their 
flesh  is  preferred  by  many,  owing  to  its  being  free  from  dryness,  and  al- 
though dark  in  appearance,  is  juicy  and  ot  good  quality.  The  feathers  are 
an  important  item,  and  will  pay  for  the  expense  of  preparation.  Consider- 
ing their  freedom  from  disease,  and  their  willingness  to  consume  all  kinds 
of  food,  they  are  very  profitable  to  those  who  have  large  flocks. 

A  goose  will  lay  about  twenty  eggs,  but  may  be  induced  to  lay  as  many 
as  thirty  if  she  is  removed  from  the  nest,  and  with  good  management  will 
hatch  two  broods.  A  large  goose  will  cover  at  least  a  dozen  eggs,  and  she 
usually  begins  to  lay  about  the  middle  of  February  or  during  March.  The 
gander  is  a  faithful  attendant,  sometimes  keeping  close  to  his  mate  while 
she  is  incubating,  for  the  purpose  of  driving  away  intruders.  The  period 
of  incubation  is  about  twenty-nine  days.  Grass  is  highly  relished  by  geese, 
and  they  may  be  pastured,  but  such  location  should  be  of  a  character  suita- 
ble for  close  cropping,  as  geese  endeavor  to  eat  tops  and  roots  together. 
They  are  very  voracious,  and  eat  anything  that  is  fit  for  food. 

They  may  be  plucked  for  feathers  two  or  three  times  during  the  summer, 
and  will  yield  about  a  pound  of  feathers  per  annum  worth  from  sixty  to 
seventy-five  cents.  Geese  will  pair  if  the  proportion  of  sexes  is  equal,  but 
three  geese  may  be  permitted  with  one  gander  as  a  limit.  Thej  are  easily 
restrained  within  enclosures  by  clipping  their  wings. 


BTANVABD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR.  12J 

There  are  eight  varieties  of  geese— the  Wild,  Toulouse,  Embden,  African, 
White  Chinese,  Brown  Chinese,  Egyptian  and  Sebastopol.  The  Toulouse 
and  Embden  are  the  largest,  and  sometimes  weigh  sixty  pounds  per  pair. 
The  latter  is  entirely  white,  and  also  more  prolific  than  some  other  breeds. 
A  cross  of  the  Toulouse  gander  with  the  Embden  goose  makes  the  largest 
bird  for  market.  The  other  breeds  are  more  ornamental  than  useful. 
The  management  of  goslings  should  be  similar  to  that  of  young  ducks. 

Raising  Guineas—When  Guineas  are  confined  they  seldom  sit,  but 
when  given  the  liberty  of  the  fields,  they  will  hatch  broods  and  rear  them 
under  difficulties  that  would  be  fatal  to  other  kinds  of  poultry.  The  young 
ones  feather  very  rapidly,  and  do  not  need  brooding  after  they  are  five 
weeks  old,  unless  the  weather  is  somewhat  cold.  They  are  fed  the  same  as 
young  chicks,  with  the  exception  that  they  require  meat,  finely  chopped,  at 
least  three  times  a  week.  As  they  feather  so  rapidly,  it  is  necessary  that 
they  be  fed  often,  as  they  will  sometimes  suddenly  die  when  a  few  meals 
are  missed,  the  feathering  demanding  a  constant  supply  of  nourishment. 
The  question  as  to  the  profitableness  of  Guineas  admits  of  no  denial.  They 
may  not  be  as  profitable  as  hens  when  confined,  but  they  can  be  raised  with 
such  little  expense  when  they  are  at  liberty,  as  to  return  a  large  profit  both 
in  eggs  and  flesh.  They  are  naturally  wild,  and  hide  their  eggs,  but  often 
betray  themselves  by  the  noise  they  make.  By  watching  them  going  to  the 
nest,  or  coming  off,  they  are  easily  detected.  The  flesh  is  dark,  but  con- 
tains a  delicacy  of  flavor  that  approaches  to  wild  game.  They  are  naturally 
noisy,  and  create  an  alarm  on  the  approach  of  intruders.  When  Guinea 
eggs  are  placed  under  hens,  the  best  way  of  batching  is  to  add  a  few 
chicks  to  the  number,  by  putting  hens'  eggs  in  the  nest  a  week  after  the 
Guinea  eggs  are  set,  and  the  chicks  will  teach  the  young  Guineas  to  obey 
the  hens. 

There  are  two  kinds,  the  Pearl  and  White  Guinea.  A  Guinea  hen  usually 
lays  about  100  eggs  per  annum,  and  the  period  of  incubation  is  four  weeks. 
They  are  monogamous,  and  mate,  but  two  or  more  females  may  be  al- 
lowed to  one  cock.    They  do  not  scratch,  and  inflict  no  damage  to  gardens. 

The  Profit  from  Poultry. — A  dozen  hens,  valued  at  $9,  may  pay  for 

all  their  feed  and  yield  a  profit  of  only  75  cents  each.  Such  a  sum  woul(? 
seem  very  insignificant,  but  it  is  100  per  cent,  on  capital  invested.  True, 
the  hens  require  attention  and  labor,  while  the  expense  lor  buildings  mus 
not  be  overlooked.  But  buildings  are  permanent  investments,  and  will  las 
for  several  seasons,  while  the  labor  bestowed  upon  a  single  small  fiocl 
would  not  be  increased  if  ten  times  the  number  were  cared  for.  An  atteu* 
dant  would  find  no  difficulty  managing  several  hundred  fowls,  while  50 
cents  is  estimated  as  the  proportion  for  each  hen  to  contribute  as  her  share 
of  the  expense  for  the  poultry-house. 

A  dairyman  will  buy  a  cow  for  $75,  and  build  a  large  barn  for  his  herd- 
He  must  not  only  grow  or  purchase  his  grain  and  other  feed  fed  in  his 
troughs,  but  he  must  also  provide  a  pasture.  The  cows  must  be  milked 
twice  a  day,  and  the  milk  hauled  in  all  kinds  of  weather.  If  butter  is  made 
the  labor  is  increased.  The  capital  invested  in  a  single  cow,  estimating  use 
of  land,  labor,  buildings,  and  value  of  the  animal,  seldom  falls  below  $200, 
and  if  the  cow  gives  a  profit  of  $50  per  annum  she  is  considered  a  good  one. 
And  yet  the  dairy  business  is  considered  a  paying  one,  although  the  profit 
does  not  reach  twenty-five  per  cent,  on  capital,  but  we  have  allowed  it  here. 


td  STAWDA&D  AUj£B10AN  POUZTBT  BOOK, 

If  the  potiHryman  realized  twenty-five  per  cent  on  capital  invested  ta 
poultry  he  would  be  dissatisfied,,  It  is  a  very  inferior  flock  that  does  nof 
pay  fifty  per  cent.,  and  hundreds  of  cases  may  be  cited  in  which  two  nun* 
dred  per  cent,  on  capital  invested  in  poultry  has  been  secured. 

When  it  is  claimed  that  poultry  returns  a  larger  profit  for  capital  in- 
vested, the  fact  applies  to  both  small  and  large  flocks.  It  the  hens  are 
treated  as  stock,  and  managed  as  is  done  for  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  and 
swine,  they  give  large  profits  for  labor,  care,  and  capital  invested,  but  the 
great  difficulty  is  that  the  majority  of  farmers  do  not  look  upon  poultry  as 
stock.  Even  where  the  flocks  are  overlooked  they  give  good  profits  on  some 
farms,  though  the  farmer  may  not  be  aware  of  the  fact  if  he  keeps  no  ac- 
counts. There  are  but  few  instances  known  in  which  the  hens  have  failed 
to  more  than  pay  for  themselves,  and  they  yield  hundreds  of  eggs  to  those 
who  have  never  considered  poultry  profitable,  simply  because  the  amount 
received  is  estimated  in  cents  instead  of  dollars. 

Breeding  Geese  for  Feathers,  —it  is  not  generally  known  that  this  is 
an  important  business  in  West  Virginia,  but  such  is  the  fact.  In  that  State, 
especially  in  the  western  part,  the  water  courses  are  numerous  but  not 
navigable,  and  railroads  are  undeveloped.  Often  fifty  or  sixty  miles  must 
be  traversed  to  reach  a  railroad  station,  and  in  such  localities  breeding 
geese  for  feathers  is  found  to  be  very  profitable.  Several  pickings  are 
made  in  a  season,  and  the  crop  of  feathers  is  duly  baled  and  sent  to  market 
by  wagon,  which  is  usually  at  some  station,  where  agents  are  ready  to  re- 
ceive it.  We  allude  to  the  feather  crop  of  West  Virginia  in  order  to  state 
that  geese  may  be  made  to  prove  equally  as  profitable  in  other  localities  as 
well,  especially  at  points  possessing  limited  railroad  facilities,  as  feathers 
are  not  heavy  enough  to  interfere  with  easy  hauling,  even  when  there  are 
full  loads  on  the  wagons.  Geese  are  partially  self-supporting,  and  work  on 
a  pasture  or  on  a  pond.  They  come  up  regularly  at  night,  protect  their 
young  vigorously,  and  subsist  where  other  fowls  would  starve,  having  no 
competitors  except  ducks,  which  they  exceed  in  size. 

The  carcass  of  a  goose  is  also  salable,  the  only  objection  to  it  being  the 
dark  color  of  the  flesh,  but  a  goose  is  juicy  and  not  dry  like  a  turkey. 

Study  the  Markets. — The  market  for  poultry  fluctuates,  and  should 
be  closely  observed.  There  are  times  when  a  seasonable  shipment  of  egga 
or  poultry  will  result  very  favorably,  while  again,  a  shipment  at  an  inop- 
portune period  may  disgust  the  farmer  completely.  And  yet,  the  farmers 
are  aware  of  this  fact,  although  they  give  themselves  no  thought  of  the 
state  of  the  markets  until  they  are  ready  to  ship,  trusting  entirely  to  the 
honesty  of  the  merchant  who  receives  their  stock.  When  the  poultry  and 
eggs  reach  the  market,  should  prices  be  down,  the  farmer  concludes  that 
there  is  no  money  in  the  transaction,  and  denounces  everybody  but  him- 
self, though  he  alone  is  to  blame. 

There  are  times  when  shipments  from  all  quarters  are  large,  and  for  a 
few  days  prices  are  depressed,  but  by  carefully  observing  the  quotations, 
which  are  given  in  nearly  all  the  local  newspapers  or  agricultural  journals, 
the  farmer  may  seize  an  opportunity  and  ship  at  a  time  when  prices  are 
high,  or  he  may  hold  on  until  the  supply  in  the  market  is  reduced.  At  this 
season  he  may  conclude  that  the  prices  will  soon  advance,  and  that  the  sup- 
ply after  Christmas  will  not  be  equal  to  the  demand,  and  there  will  be  short 
periods  when  prices  will  advance  for  a  few  days. 


BTA&DARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOR.  123 

Feeding  for  Eggs  and  for  Market. — At  the  season  when  fowls  are 
being  marketed,  all  the  poultry  cannot  be  fed  alike.  Those  intended  for 
sale  should  be  separated  from  those  that  are  to  be  kept  as  layers.  The 
food  for  the  market  fowls  should  consist  largely  of  corn,  and  should  be 
given  often  and  plentifully,  while  exercise  is  not  desirable.  The  laying 
hens,  on  the  contrary,  should  not  be  fat,  and  should  be  fed  only  sparingly 
of  corn  or  fat-producing  material.  If  the  laying  hens  are  allowed  in  the 
yard  with  those  intended  for  market,  they  will  soon  become  worthless,  so 
far  as  producing  eggs  is  concerned,  and  will  be  more  profitable  if  shipped 
off  with  the  others.  And  yet  we  can  point  to  many  who  feed  all  their  fowls 
alike,  making  no  distinction  and  giving  no  thought  to  the  real  object  they 
have  in  view. 

These  little  matters  of  management  are  the  turning  points  of  success  in 
poultiy.  The  breeding  stock-laying  hens  must  be  kept  differently  from  the 
fattening  stock.  The  horses,  cows,  sheep,  and  hogs  receive  proper  consid- 
eration in  such  matters,  and  the  poultry  is  no  exception,  though  the  rule 
is  overlooked  so  far  as  its  application  to  them  is  concerned.  It  is  a  loss  of 
time,  and  also  expensive  in  not  feeding  properly,  and  we  trust  the  advice 
given  will  be  regarded. 

Material  for  the  Dast-batn._The  dust-bath  is  the  toilet  of  the  hen. 
With  it  she  cleans  her  body  and  feathers,  rids  herself  of  vermin,  and  de- 
lights in  the  enjoyment  it  affords.  In  winter,  however,  when  the  ground  is 
frozen  hard,  it  sometimes  becomes  a  difficult  matter  to  provide  the  hens 
with  a  dust-bath,  especially  if  there  are  several  flocks.  Now  is  the  time  to 
lay  in  a  supply  of  dirt  for  the  purpose.  The  dirt  should  be  fine,  and  well- 
sifted,  in  order  that  it  may  be  more  completely  adapted  to  the  purposes  in- 
tended. Wood  ashes  are  unsuitable,  owing  to  the  caustic  properties  of  the 
potash,  which  creates,  sores  on  the  skin  should  the  weather  be  damp.  Finely 
sifted  coal  ashes,  entirely  free  from  admixture  with  wood  ashes,  are  excel- 
lent, but  a  full  supply  is  not  always  obtained.  The  cheapest  and  easiest 
mode  is  to  lay  in  a  supply  of  dirt,  either  from  the  road  or  the  field,  but  it 
should  be  perfectly  dry,  and  stored  in  a  dry  place,  or  it  cannot  be  used 
when  the  necessity  arises.  In  winter,  a  box  one  yard  square  and  six  inches 
deep,  filled  within  an  inch  of  its  top  with  the  dirt,  is  just  what  the  hens  will 
appreciate.  The  dirt  may  remain  in  the  box  as  long  as  it  is  dry  and  clean, 
but  should  be  removed  at  least  once  a  week.  By  sprinkling  a  few  drops  of 
•  a  solution  of  carbolic  acid  in  the  dust-bath,  any  unpleasant  odors  may  be 
removed  and  the  dirt  rendered  more  acceptable. 

Useless  Q,«alifications._The  originators  of  some  of  the  new  breeds, 
while  endeavoring  to  fix  certain  inherent  characteristics,  have  in  the  case  of 
some  breeds,  attached  many  undesirable  features  that  might  be  dispensed 
with.  Why  the  Cochins,  Brahmas  and  Langshans  should  be  encumbered 
with  the  heavy  leg  feathering  is  a  mystery,  for  the  characteristic  is  a  use* 
less  one  and  gives  such  fowls  considerable  annoyance.  It  may  be  urged 
that  the  leg  feathering  is  one  of  the  evidences  of  purity,  but  the  standard 
seems  to  urge  the  importance  of  heavy  feathering.  While  the  feathers 
might  remain,  if  bred  lightly,  the  impulse  is  to  have  the  legs  covered  com- 
pletely. The  Houdans  and  Dorkings  are  also  obstructed  with  an  extra  toe, 
while  the  comb  of  the  Black  Spanish  and  Leghorn  often  suffers  severely  in 
winter,  owing  to  the  large  size.  The  breeds  should  be  stripped,  by  selec- 
tion, of  all  such  obstructions,  which  will  not  detract  from  the  beauty  of  the 


126  STANDARD  AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK, 

fowls,  nor  interfere  with  their  usefulness,  and  yet  assist  in  promoting  free 
doni  of  movement,  exemption  from  exposure  and  less  liability  to  disease, 
while  greater  comfort  is  secured.  With  the  many  additions  now  being 
made  to  the  breeds,  the  future  opens  up  an  opportunity  to  all,  but  at  pres- 
ent we  can  do  much  good  by  breeding  away  some  of  the  objections  that  now 
pertain  to  many  of  the  best  breeds  we  have. 

Selling  Eggs  By  Weight._A  large  egg  costs  more  than  a  small  one, 
and  contains  a  greater  amount  of  substance.  If  they  were  sold  by  weight 
the  purchaser  would  get  the  value  of  his  money,  while  the  seller  would  se- 
cure a  price  only  in  proportion  to  what  he  furnishes.  Of  course  it  will  not 
always  be  an  easy  matter  to  weigh  exactly  a  pound  of  eggs,  but  that  is 
no  obstacle,  as  the  eggs  could  be  still  sold  by  the  dozen  with  the  price  based 
on  the  weight.  For  instance,  if  eggs  were  24  cents  a  pound,  and  eight 
weighed  one  pound,  a  dozen  would  be  worth  36  cents.  No  matter  what  the 
size  of  an  egg  may  be,  ihe  purchaser  would  get  no  more  nor  less  than 
the  full  amount  by  weight  equivalent  to  the  price.  The  poultryman  would 
have  nothing  to  lose.  The  hens  thai  lay  the  large  eggs  will  convert  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  food  into  such  eggs,  and  no  more.  If  they  lay  extra  large 
eggs  they  will  not  lay  so  often.  The  hens  that  lay  small  eggs  may  be  en- 
bled  to  make  up  in  numbers  what  they  fail  to  do  in  size,  but  they  will  use 
only  a  proper  proportion  of  food  and  no  more.  Eggs  as  now  sold  receive 
no  consideration,  except  for  numbers,  a  dozen  small  eggs  bringing  as  much 
aa  a  dozen  large  ones,  except  when  the  purchaser  is  wise  enough  to  make 
a  distinction,  or  when  the  producer  considers  his  own  interest  by  asking  a 
fair  price  for  large  eggs,  which  really  cost  him  more  than  the  smaller 
ones. 

Heating  Poultry  Houses. — Unless  the  weather  is  extremely  cold  the 
poultry  house  will  require  no  heat.  It  should,  however,  never  be  at  a 
lower  temperature  than  40  degrees  above  zero,  and  this  can  be  secured  by 
properly  lining  a  poultry  house  so  as  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  too  much 
cold  air.  The  windows  will  allow  of  the  entrance  and  absorption  of  a  large 
amount  of  heat  during  the  day,  but  at  night  the  heat  will  be  radiated  away 
if  tne  glass  is  not  covered  on  the  outside  with  a  piece  of  batting  or  a  shut- 
ter. But  in  regard  to  the  best  method  of  heating,  we  would  suggest  a  stove 
with  a  sheet  iron  drum,  a  stove  pipe  being  connected  with  the  drum  so  as 
conduct  the  heat  to  the  extreme  end.  Openings  may  be  made  in  the  stove 
pipe  at  proper  distances,  to  serve  on  the  principal  of  registers  for  egress  of 
the  hot  air,  in  order  to  warm  every  portion  of  the  house.  We  do  not  say 
that  a  stove  so  arranged  will  heat  a  large  poultry  house,  but  it  should  in- 
crease the  temperature  sufficiently  to  prevent  freezing  of  the  combs  and 
wattles.  Too  much  heat  should  not  be  desired,  as  it  will  make  the  hens 
tender  and  more  susceptible  to  colds  and  sudden  changes. 

Tnrlceys. — Cross  a  Bronze  gobbler  with  common  hens,  and  allow  six 
hens  with  each  gobbler  as  a  limit,  though  fewer  are  better.  Each  hen  will 
lay  from  twenty  to  forty  eggs,  according  to  management.  The  period  of 
incubation  is  thirty  days.  Sixteen  eggs  constitute  a  sitting  for  a  hen. 
Allow  the  young  ones  no  food  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then  feed  often  (but 
avoid  over- feeding),  giving  food  at  least  every  two  hours  until  they  feather. 
The  reason  of  this  is  that  the  growth  of  feathers  on  young  turkeys  is  very 
rapid  and  demands  a  constant  supply  of  nutrition,  hence  a  single  omission 
of  food  for  a  few  hours  sometimes  proves  fatal*    The  feed  at  first  should  be 


STANDARD   AMERICAN  POULTRY  BOOK,  W 

coarse  corn  meal,  which  is  added  to  a  mixture  of  milk  and  eggs.  This 
should  be  cooked,  and  an  onion  chopped  up  and  added  to  it.  After  they 
Are  three  days  old,  teed  mashed  potatoes,  chopped  onions,  ground  oats  and 
egg,  well  mixed  with  milk,  and  cooked.  Milk  is  always  excellent.  After 
they  are  a  week  old  the  egg  may  be  omitted,  but  a  proportion  of  cooked 
meat  and  a  little  ground  bone  should  be  allowed.  They  may  then  be 
allowed  grain  of  all  kinds  (corn  being  ground),  cooked  vegetables  and 
milk.  The  water  should  be  fresh  and  clean,  one-quarter  of  a  teaspoonful 
of  tincture  of  iron  to  be  given  in  every  pint  of  water. 

One  of  the  secrets  of  raising  young  turkeys  is  never  to  allow  them  to 
get  wet  or  chilled.  The  damp  grass  is  fatal.  Keep  them  in  a  coop  with  the 
hen  for  three  or  four  days,  and  then  allow  them  to  ramble  with  her  on  dry 
days  otdy,  keeping  them  in  a  roomy  place  on  the  approach  of  damp  weather. 
They  cannot  be  confined  like  chicks,  as  it  is  not  their  nature,  but  if  care- 
fully watched  until  they  are  beyond  danger  they  are  very  hardy  and  can 
take  care  of  themselves.  Do  not  attempt  to  raise  turkeys  unless  you  havp 
ample  room  for  them  to  forage  upon,  as  they  are  fond  of  straying  off  \o 
long  distances  and  easily  fly  over  the  highest  fences.  Keep  the  male  away 
from  the  hens  while  the  latter  are  sitting,  or  he  will  eject  them  from  there 
nests.  When  on  the  nest  the  hen  sticks  closely,  and  will  nearly  starve 
before  she  will  leave  it,  consequently  her  food  should  not  be  neglected. 
Turkeys  are  subject  to  the  same  diseases  as  chickens,  and  the  remedies  in 
the  case  of  one  apply  to  the  other. 

There  are  seven  varieties  of  turkeys— the  Wild,  Bronze,  Narragansett, 
White,  Black,  ^Buff,  and  Slate;  the  Bronze  and  Narragansett  being  the 
largest  in  size,  sometimes  attaining  the  weight  of  forty  pounds.  All  varie« 
ties  prefer  to  roost  in  trees,  but  may,  by  being  hatched  under  barnyard 
hens,  be  taught  to  roost  in  the  poultry  houses. 

How  to  Raise  Chicks— The  best  hens  for  bringing  out  chickens  are 

Wyandottes  and  Plymouth  Bocks.  Some  varieties  will  not  sit  for  the  pur-' 
pose  at  all,  such  as  Leghorn,  Spanish  and  Houdans.  How  such  fowls 
perpetuate  their  species,  if  their  eggs  are  not  hatched  by  other  fowls,  we 
do  not  know,  unless,  indeed,  that  if  left  to  themselves  as  in  a  natural  state, 
where  the  eggs  which  they  lay  would  not  be  gathered  every  day,  but  left  in 
the  nests,  they  might,  when  nests  get  full,  take  to  sitting  on  them.  In  a 
domestic  state,  however,  such  varieties  seldom  get  broody,  which  compels 
people  who  wish  to  breed  from  them  to  keep  a  few  fowls  of  another  kind  to 
hatch  their  eggs.  March,  April,  and  May  are  the  best  months  to  hatch 
chickens,  but  eggs  may  be  set  even  in  January  by  those  who  have  houses 
and  wish  to  have  well  grown  chicks  in  the  summer,  either  for  exhibiting  at 
shows  or  for  early  layings  The  risk  of  losing  the  young  broods,  however, 
during  cold  weather,  and  extra  care  and  attention  they  require,  certainly 
do  not  in  ordinary  seasons  repay  the  trouble  of  rearing  them.  Some  varie- 
ties may  even  be  very  successfully  reared  later  than  the  months  mentioned, 
owing  tc  the  rapidity  with  which  they  grow  to  maturity.  Leghorns  are  per- 
haps tha  fastest  growers,  often  beginning  to  lay  before  they  are  four  months 
old.  If  an  increase  of  eggs  is  desired  in  the  poultry  yard  before  large 
sums  of  money  are  expended  in  the  purchase  of  good  layers,  we  would 
recommend  the  keeping  of  no  hens  after  the  second  year.  Three 
bushels  of  meal  will  keep  eight  hens  and  one  hundred  chicks  the  first 
month,  four  bushels  the  second  month,  and  £v«  bue^s  the  third 
month. 


128  STANDARD  AMERICAN  PGV&fR*   BOOK, 

Tho  Ito©sfts-~The  iostioct  of  self-preservation  prompts  fowls  lu  porch 

on  the  highest  point  they  can  attain  when  seeking  the  quarters  at  night. 
This  is  done  because  they  naturally  desire  to  be  far  above  the  reach  ol 
danger  from  below,  and  they  go  under  shelter  to  avoid  the  enemfos  thatflv 
in  the  air.  This  instinct  of  the  fowl  is  well  known,  and  yet  a  large  majorit, 
of  breeders  construct  their  roosts  in  such  a  manner  as  to  have  the  rear 
cross  piece  higher  than  the  next,  and  eo  continuing,  until  the  first  one  is 
ouito  low.  If  anyone  will  take  a  look  into  the  quarters  at  night  after  the 
fowls  have  retired,  it  will  be  seen  that  no  matter  how  much  room  there  may 
be  on  the  roosts,  a  portion,  of  the  lower  space  will  be  occupied,  while  the 
higher  poles  will  be  crowded,  the  fowls  being  as  compactly  pressed  together 
as  though  the  packing  process  had  been  purposely  done  to  get  them  all  as 
high  as  possible. 

There  are  several  objections  to  such  rooets,  not  only  bo  far  as  the  dis- 
comfort of  the  fowls  is  concerned,  but  because  they  are  unsightly,  unhandy, 
and  filthy.  The  gridiron  roobt,  with  its  low  and  high  perches,  is  an  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  cleaning  the  coop.  It  takes  up  unnecessary  space,  and  it  com<= 
pels  the  heavy  fowls  to  jump  higher,  at  the  risk  of  knocking  over  the  small 
ones,  and  an  occasional  fall  is  the  consequence  when  coming  off,  Not  only 
are  the  feet  injured,  but  bruises  and  jars  to  the  body  are  also  the  result 

Perches  should  all  be  on  the  level  with  each  other,  and  should  be  made 
easily  removable.,  By  so  doing  the  fowls  will  not  crowd  each  other,  and  the 
perches  can  be  cleaned  and  washed  with  coal-oil  occasionally.  No  injury 
from  getting  on  and  off  will  occur,  and  no  conflict  (or  preference  of  position 
will  take  place,  to  say  nothing  of  superior  ventilation,  etc. 

Cleanliness  in.  the  Poultry  House..— It  is  a  disagreeable  task  at  all 

times  to  clean  out  the  poultry  houses  and  coops,  but,  like  every  other  under- 
taking,  much  depends  on  the  systematic  manner  in  which  the  work  is  per- 
formed.  We  have  seen  persons  labor  hard  all  day,  in  the  midst  of  filth, 
with  shovel  and  hoe,  cleaning  the  poultry  house,  and  when  the  job  was  fin- 
ished but  little  appearance  of  cleanliness  was  added  to  it.  There  is  an  easy, 
neat,  effectual  way  of  cleaning  the  poultry  house,  which,  if  adopted,  removes 
the  dread  and  disgust  of  the  work,  and  makes  it  a  pleasure  instead  of  an 
annoyance.  The  first  consideration  is  the  construction  of  the  floors.  Dry 
dirt  will  not  answer,  for  the  reason  that  it  absorbs  the  impurities,  and  the 
filth  can  only  be  removed  with  the  dirt,  thus  entailing  the  necessity  of 
changing  the  entire  floor  and  substituting  fresh  material.  We  have  found 
the  use  of  the  broom  to  be  the  cleanest,  easiest,  and  best  method  of  remov- 
ing the  droopings,  but  in  order  to  do  bo,  the  floor  must  be  hard.  Wood  is 
the  best  material,  but  a  wooden  floor  is  liable  to  become  a  harboring  place 
for  rats,  unless  it  is  well  closed  underneath,  or  raised  sufficiently  to  allow 
a  cat  or  terrier  to  run  in  and  out  under  it.  When  this  is  done  the  cold  air 
comes  up  into  the  poultry  house  in  winter,  and  makes  the  wooden  floors 
objectionable.  Cement  is  better,  for  it  not  only  prevents  vermin  from  en- 
tering, bat  also  the  drafts.  The  cheapest  way  to  make  such  a  floor  is  to  take 
one  barrel  of  lime,  two  of  sand,  one  of  gravel,  one  bushel  of  cement,  and  two 
gallons  liquid  coal  tar.  Mix  the  ingredients  dry,  then  add  water,  and  spread 
evenly  on  a  hard  surface  which  has  been  graveled.  The  coa-1  tar  may  be 
brought  to  a  proper  consistency  with  coal  oil.  It  keeps  away  lice,  and 
colors  the  cement.  Let  the  floor  remain  undisturbed  for  twenty-four  hours, 
and  add  another  coating  in  order  to  stop  the  cracks. 


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